This page details plans to develop the partnership between pathology services across Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT), The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust (MYTT) and The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT). 

What are we trying to achieve?

In 2019 the WYAAT Trust Boards approved the Pathology Network Strategy. Key recommendations from the strategy included:

• Consolidating routine and direct access testing from fewer sites
• Establishing Acute Hospital Laboratories (AHLs) at all hospital sites
• Creating a new Pathology Partnership between CHFT, MYTT and LTHT

Why are we doing this?

Creating a new pathology partnership from our current service configuration will be complex, however we are expecting there to be benefits to this change, including:

1. A workforce that is sustainable for the future and offers greater opportunities for career development

2. Improved experiences for staff, clinicians and patients

• Better working environments for staff and greater support through the network
• Quicker turnaround times for tests, standardised results and a wider clinical network
• Patients receive the same quality and access to tests

3. Consistency in pathology testing to reduce variation and ensure all labs provide the same, high-quality accredited service

4. To create a more sustainable and resilient pathology service which can cope with increased demand and be flexible in times of pressure

What are the next steps?

We are revisiting the principles developed in the 2019 Strategy to check this is still the right approach. The changes proposed back then were:

• All acute hospitals retain an AHL onsite
• Blood sciences to be carried out at two hubs (PGH and SJUH)
• Microbiology to be delivered from one hub (new laboratory at SJUH)
• Specialist testing to continue to be provided in Leeds
• Cellular pathology will continue to be provided through current hospital sites

Representatives from each service are working through the strategy to develop the details of how we should adapt so that we make positive changes and deliver real benefits.