IBMS responds to Modernising HSC Pathology Services Consultation
20 February 2017
The IBMS response to a public consultation
In partnership with the Pathology Network, the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) launched a public consultation on proposals to update and modernise Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Pathology services, including Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS).
IBMS President Ian Sturdgess has responded to the consultation on behalf of the Institute, commenting that:
“In considering consolidation of services, it is vital that the HSC Board understands the role of pathology in healthcare. Pathology is a clinically integrated, specialist, analytical and diagnostic service that is a critical component of most patient care pathways.
It presents many opportunities to deliver better and more efficient care and it underpins the molecular pathology/genomics agenda. Therefore, any changes to pathology will impact upon services in hospitals and in the community.
Treating pathology as a silo and attempting to force through consolidation is likely to lead to destabilisation that will undermine clinical services, impact upon patient safety and experience and cost more than the efficiencies gained.
Rather, the Institute would encourage the HSC Board to take a strategic approach that puts the patient/service user at the centre and focuses on demand optimisation to inform any change to the service configuration and is cognisant of the recommendations of the Donaldson review, ‘The Right Time, The Right Place’ and the recent Bengoa report, ‘Systems, Not Structures: Changing Health and Social Care’.
Any modernisation of pathology services needs to sit within the wider health and social care strategic context and to treat pathology in isolation risks putting form before function and may be more costly in the longer term.”
For more information about the consultation please visit the Health and Social Care Board website.
To read more of the IBMS response and recommendations on this consultation, see the attached response form. You can also read previous IBMS consultation responses here.