IBMS Response: NHS England's 2025

Last updated: 3rd February 2025
IBMS Response: NHS England's 2025

Ensuring biomedical science leads NHS reform

Two key documents have been published:

These documents set out the government’s vision for NHS reform, focusing on reducing waiting times, improving urgent care, and transitioning towards a more community-based, digitally integrated, and preventative healthcare system. The IBMS welcomes this focus and recognises that much of the work already being carried out by biomedical scientists aligns with these priorities.

Our profession is not only central to achieving these reforms but is also well-positioned to lead on the details of their implementation. The IBMS stands ready to collaborate with NHS England, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), and policymakers to support their successful implementation.


The Critical Role of Biomedical Scientists in NHS Reform

The government’s commitment to tackling elective care backlogs and improving cancer pathways depends on the efficiency and capacity of diagnostic services. Biomedical scientists are pivotal in ensuring faster turnaround times, accurate diagnoses, and the seamless integration of innovative technologies into patient care pathways. The IBMS has long championed the need for greater investment in laboratory services to meet increasing demand, and this mandate underscores the urgency of these efforts.

IBMS calls for:

  • Expansion of training pathways and career progression opportunities to address workforce shortages.
  • Increased investment in pathology networks and community diagnostic centres (CDCs).
  • Greater recognition of biomedical scientists’ expertise in strategic NHS workforce planning.
  • Clear career progression pathways that enable biomedical scientists to take on advanced clinical roles, ensuring their skills are fully utilised in decision-making and service development.


Investing in Diagnostic Capacity and Innovation

The shift from hospital to community care must be matched with investment in diagnostic infrastructure. The expansion of CDCs and improved access to testing in primary care settings will require skilled biomedical scientists to maintain quality, accuracy, and efficiency. IBMS has already been working with NHS partners to develop qualifications and best practices in these areas and stands ready to support further expansion.

To meet the NHS’s reform goals, we advocate for:

  • Strategic workforce planning to ensure adequate staffing and expertise within community-based diagnostic services.
  • Investment in pathology networks to enhance collaboration, optimise capacity, and improve efficiency across NHS trusts.


Harnessing Digital Transformation in Diagnostics

The NHS mandate’s emphasis on digital transformation aligns with IBMS’s long-standing advocacy for modernising diagnostic services. Digital pathology, AI-assisted diagnostics, and updates to Laboratory Information Management Systems are key to improving efficiency and reducing turnaround times. However, successful implementation requires significant investment in IT infrastructure, staff training, and interoperability across NHS systems.

IBMS urges NHS England to:

  • Support widespread adoption of digital pathology with appropriate funding for technology and staff training.
  • Ensure interoperability between LIMS and NHS digital platforms to streamline patient pathways and improve access to diagnostic data.
  • Expand AI-driven diagnostic support tools, ensuring biomedical scientists play a central role in governance, validation, and deployment.
  • Engage IBMS members in the development of digital health strategies to ensure that new technologies complement essential scientific expertise.


Enhancing Efficiency and Workforce Resilience in Pathology Services

While improving efficiency is a core aim of the NHS mandate, cost-cutting measures must not compromise the quality and safety of diagnostic services. IBMS supports the drive for efficiency but stresses that sustainable service delivery requires long-term investment in skills, technology, and capacity rather than a narrow focus on financial savings.

To achieve this, NHS England should:

  • Protect funding for laboratory infrastructure and diagnostic innovation.
  • Ensure workforce planning aligns with long-term service needs.
  • Recognise the contribution of biomedical scientists to NHS productivity improvements and integrate their expertise into strategic decision-making.
  • Work with IBMS to identify best practices in laboratory efficiency and workforce optimisation, ensuring high standards of patient care are maintained while meeting productivity targets.


IBMS Commitment to Supporting Members

As NHS England and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) implement these reforms, IBMS will continue to advocate for its members, ensuring that diagnostics remain central to NHS priorities. The work our members have already done in transforming laboratory services, optimising workflows, and adopting new technologies provides a strong foundation for delivering these reforms successfully. We stand ready to lead, collaborate, and support the NHS in achieving its ambitious targets.

IBMS MANCHESTER BRANCH AGM June 2024

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