Events during September 2023

Newborn screening (NBS) is an essential public health strategy aimed at identifying newborn babies that are affected by certain genetic, metabolic and infectious conditions. NBS enables the early detection and management of several congenital disorders, which if left untreated, may lead to mental retardation and/or death. Early diagnosis and instigation of treatment, along with appropriate long-term care help ensure normal growth and development of the affected individual.

The Sheffield Regional NBS Laboratory is one of the largest newborn screening laboratories in the UK testing around 65,000 newborn bloodspot samples per year and has been an integral part of routine newborn care for the region of South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and East Midlands. Newborn screening in the United Kingdom now includes screening for 10 conditions including multiple metabolic, haemoglobinopathies and only recently severe combined immunodeficiency - all detectable though multiplex laboratory procedures.

This presentation will briefly review the implementation of newborn screening in the region, including a brief history and justification for newborn screening, laboratory detection and diagnosis of the screening condition, the referral pathway/notification to a regional consultant paediatrician for initiation of treatment of the condition/follow up testing and conclude with a case study.

Your career in Clinical Biochemistry: IBMS qualifications and the role of the Advisory Panel

Delegates will understand:

The pathophysiological aspects of Vitamin B12.
The role of the laboratory in the diagnosis of Vitamin B12 deficiency.

This presentation will provide an update Update to the clinical use of lipids and the laboratory role in lipid disorders.

In this presentation, Imran Jabbar, will delve into the crucial topic of measuring human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). With a focus on trophoblastic tumours, Imran will explore the significance of hCG as a diagnostic and monitoring tool in GTD. The presentation will cover the principles behind hCG measurement techniques, including immunoassays and molecular methods.

Imran will highlight the challenges and advancements in accurately quantifying hCG levels, and discuss their clinical implications. Attendees will gain insights into the role of hCG measurement in early detection, disease monitoring, and prognostic evaluation, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes in GTD management.

In recent years, healthcare policy has been moving towards the concept of patients being able to receive their pathology test results directly, it is likely that pathology providers may need to consider the communication of some laboratory test results directly to patients.

This is a very different group of people to what pathology providers are used to. Expansion of concepts such as reference intervals and what is significant need to be explored in the context of a more general audience.

The session will provide an overview of the qualifications that the IBMS offers in those who are carving out a career in Histopathology after they have achieved their specialist level qualification. It will outline the DEP and ASD in Histological Dissection, DEP in Immunocytochemistry and the ASD in Histopathology Reporting qualifications and other related qualifications.

It will explain who these qualifications are aimed and provide an outline of how they are assessed, how candidates can achieve these qualifications and what roles successful candidates can go on to undertake.

Join your network workforce leads/practice educators for a solution focused discussion around workforce challenges. Find out about current education and development opportunities with specific emphasis on support workers, advanced clinical practice and leadership. We welcome your participation in helping to shape the future of your pathology workforce.

You are invited by the speakers to complete this online form before the presentation

Networks – how Greater Manchester is making it work for them

Shared training – the Scottish Training Academy to Registration Portfolio training