UK Health Minister announces modernisation of pathology services
Key messages include ensuring that services focus on patients' needs, and the importance of keeping pathology services up to date for their benefit, through new, appropriate and properly evaluated technologies, techniques and tests.
Mr Hutton said:
"I am therefore delighted that this document brings pathology services into focus as a key component of the modern NHS heralded by the NHS Plan.
"The new guidance reflects our commitment to ensuring that pathology services are able to become a modern service able to respond to the future challenges posed by new scientific and technical developments, changing practice and changing public perceptions and expectations.
'The new approach to delivering these vital services will help us to both raise the profile of pathology and make more effective a service which provides an essential foundation to high-quality clinical care. The development of new pathology networks, and changes in the skill mix of the workforce are crucial ingredients in this programme of change."
"The implementation of Modernising Pathology Services will also be supported by a total of £9.1 million revenue and £54 million capital funding over the period 2003/04 - 2005/06, helping pathology services to expand."
The Department will also set up an implementation oversight group as part of the national focus on increasing diagnostic capacity in the NHS, and looking at how service design, particularly through the development of managed networks, can help build the pathology capacity required to deliver key targets and commitments.
In welcoming publication of 'Modernising Pathology Services', Professor James Underwood, President of The Royal College of Pathologists, said: 'This initiative will further improve awareness of the vital importance of pathology in the NHS, and it puts us in a stronger position to provide the
most effective service for patients. The extra investment will help us to achieve this.'
Notes to editor
1. Up to 70 per cent of all diagnoses depend on pathology. Pathology is vital for patients to get the services they need at the time and in the place they need them. Pathology underpins delivery of NHS commitments and targets, especially for cancer, coronary heart disease, access, waiting times and A&E.
2. The NHS Plan's vision is to deliver for patients a 21st century health service - one which treats patients as partners and provides prompt, high quality services. Patients and staff need faster access to diagnostics in all settings. A modernised NHS depends on modernised pathology services.
3. In 1999, the Government demonstrated its commitment to modernising NHS pathology services with the establishment of the Pathology Modernisation Programme. In the first three years of the programme, we invested £28m in 39 demonstration sites across the country. Details of the first three years are available on the DH website.
4. Modernising Pathology Services builds on responses received to the consultation document Pathology - The Essential Service - Draft Guidance on Modernising Pathology Services, available on the DH website.
5. The national implementation oversight group will succeed the Pathology Modernisation Steering Group. Details of the new group's membership will be announced shortly. The group's key functions will include:
- disseminating key messages on modernising pathology
- advising the Department of Health on using funding resources for success
- supporting sharing of good practice in pathology across the NHS
- networking with the Modernisation Agency and other key stakeholders to redesign pathology services
- working with the diagnostics industry to support the uptake of new technology, new ways of working and effective point of care testing services.
6. For media enquiries only contact the Department of Health Media Centre.
Contact Press Officer
Address Media Centre
Department of Health
Richmond House, 79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NL
Phone Media Centre
020 7210 5281
Marea Britanie a Sãnãtãþii anunþã ministrul de modernizare a serviciilor de patologie - UK Health Minister announces modernisation of pathology services - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate