Path360 2026: The NHS Pathology Strategy Conference South
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Path360 2026: The NHS Pathology Strategy Conference South
A Skills-Led Summit on Building Sustainable, Digital and Workforce-Ready Pathology Services
Take part in our conference prize draw by visiting all stands and scanning your lanyard at each for a chance to win £100 voucher.
Sponsors & Partners
Pathology underpins more than 70% of all clinical diagnoses and sits at the heart of NHS diagnostic transformation. Yet pathology services continue to face mounting pressure from workforce shortages, rising demand, ageing infrastructure, and the rapid pace of digital and networked service change.
Path360 2026 brings NHS pathology leaders together at a critical moment, as systems move from planning and pilots into delivery at scale. With pathology networks now embedded across England and national programmes accelerating digital pathology, automation, AI, and laboratory integration, the challenge is no longer what to do, but how to deliver safely, consistently and sustainably.
Crucially, this transformation is not limited to histopathology. Blood sciences, microbiology, and laboratory automation are rapidly evolving, with high-throughput automated lines, integrated LIMS platforms, and end-to-end sample logistics reshaping how modern laboratories operate. As diagnostic demand increases, services must rethink workflow design, workforce capability, digital integration, and networked delivery across the entire pathology landscape.
This conference is designed to support that shift. Rather than focusing on policy alone.
Summit Focus:
Path360 2026 is structured around applied learning and real-world delivery. The programme brings together senior NHS leaders, network directors, laboratory managers, and clinical specialists to share tested approaches, frameworks, and lessons from the front line.
Sessions will explore transformation across histopathology, blood sciences, microbiology and laboratory automation, reflecting the increasingly integrated nature of modern pathology services.
The agenda blends Skill Clinics, Leadership Lessons, Deep Dives, and Case Studies, ensuring delegates gain both strategic insight and practical tools they can apply immediately within their own services.
This is not a showcase of innovation in isolation, but a skills exchange on how pathology services are being modernised in practice.
What Delegates Will Gain:
By attending Path360 2026, delegates will leave with clear insight into how to:
- Strengthen pathology network delivery while maintaining quality, resilience, and local accountability.
- Apply digital pathology, AI, and automation safely to improve turnaround times and reporting capacity.
- Address workforce challenges through smarter training, competency management, and role development.
- Improve end-to-end diagnostic pathways, including sample logistics, digital systems integration and clinical collaboration.
- Build robust business cases for investment, transformation, and service redesign.
- Learn from peers who have navigated operational pressure, governance complexity, and system change.
Your Pass Includes....
- This conference is CPD accredited. Attendees will be eligible to gain 8 CPD points upon completion of the event.
- Access to a leading conference speaker programme
- Interactive Q&A sessions
- Leadership Lessons from the Front Line
- Cross-sector best practice
- Meet the supplier opportunities
- Hot breakfast & Lunch included
- Access to post event drinks reception and Street food
Tickets For NHS Senior Managers
We have an invite only option for NHS Senior Managers for our conference, to see if you qualify for a complimentary place please click the button below.
Conference Speakers
Dr Rajesh
Rajendran
Clinical Head of Division for Laboratory Medicine, MFT Deputy Director for Infection Prevention and Control MFT
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Read biography
Mr Chris Sleight MSc BSc
FIBMS
Chief Executive Officer of Sleight Insights
Formerly Chief Officer of the Greater Manchester Diagnostic Networks
Read biography
Noman
Manzoor
Pathology Laboratory Director, General Manager Pathology , Transfusion and Mortuary Services
South 4 Pathology Partnership Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Read biography
Professor Michael
Osborn
National Speciality Adviser Pathology – Resilience & Sustainability, Clinical Lead Pathology - London Region, Clinical Director North West London Pathology
NHSE, North West London Pathology
Read biography
The programme
Registration & Networking
Registration - Open from 8:20 am - Closes at 11:00 am
All delegates must complete their registration process before the 11:00 AM cut-off time. Please arrive in a timely manner to allow for registration and to avoid any inconvenience. Delegates who arrive after the registration deadline will be refused entry to the event.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain the event's schedule and ensuring that everyone can fully participate in the conference. If you have any questions or require assistance, our event staff will be available to assist you with the registration process.
Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to an insightful and productive event together!
Keynote Presentation - Building the Future Pathology Workforce: Scientific Leadership, Resilience and System Collaboration
Session Overview:
This fireside interview will explore how scientific leadership can support the future pathology workforce at a time of rising demand, service change and technological transformation. The discussion will consider how leaders can develop future talent, support workforce resilience and strengthen collaboration across diagnostic services.
Key themes / delegate outcomes:
- Explore how scientific leadership can support workforce resilience and sustainable diagnostic services.
- Understand the importance of developing future pathology leaders across modern laboratory environments.
- Take away reflections on workforce planning, professional development and system collaboration.
Morning Skill Clinic - From Vision to Reality: Embedding Digital Pathology, AI and Automation into Day-to-Day Laboratory Practice
Session Overview:
Digital pathology, AI and laboratory automation are moving from strategic ambition into operational delivery. This skill exchange will explore how laboratories can embed these innovations into routine practice while maintaining clinical assurance, workforce confidence and service sustainability.
Key themes / delegate outcomes:
- Understand the practical requirements for embedding digital pathology, AI and automation into live laboratory settings.
- Explore governance, workforce readiness and operational redesign considerations.
- Identify practical steps for aligning digital transformation with quality, safety and workflow improvement.
Main Sponsor - Improving Diagnostic Turnaround Times in Histopathology
Main Sponsor - Source LDPath
What would it mean for you to be able to quantify digital pathology implementation for your hospital / department? If only it were as simple as it sounds. A walk-through updated NHS requirements for histopathology TATs and what the private sector can do to support you in achieving them. Focus will be on case studies to date and the Health Economic Model for Digital Pathology.
Case Study - ProfilerLive
Case Study - ProfilerLive
About us:
ProfilerLive is a cutting-edge digital training and competency management platform designed to streamline workforce training and compliance processes. ProfilerLive enables organisations to automate training, track competency progress in real time, and ensure regulatory compliance. With its intuitive interface, real-time reporting, and comprehensive analytics, ProfilerLive empowers managers to make data-driven decisions and optimise workforce planning.
Case Study - Diagnexia
Case Study - Diagnexia
About us:
Diagnexia stands at the forefront of digital pathology services in the UK, providing an innovative, on-demand network of expert subspecialty pathologists dedicated to supporting the NHS and healthcare providers across the UK. With a commitment to speed, compliance, and expertise, Diagnexia offers a swift 3-5 day turnaround for primary diagnostic reports and 7-10 days for secondary consults, ensuring timely and accurate diagnostic services. Recognised for its digital excellence, Diagnexia facilitates seamless, intuitive reporting and case management from anywhere, ensuring that the NHS, has access to top pathology minds, thereby enhancing patient outcomes, reducing backlogs, and ensuring balanced workloads across pathology departments.
Leadership Interview Session - Implementing Automation in Cellular Pathology at Scale
Session Overview:
This keynote will explore the real-world implementation of automation in cellular pathology, drawing on work across NHS network locations in England. The session will examine the potential of automation to improve workflow, consistency and capacity while supporting the future design of cellular pathology services.
Key themes / delegate outcomes:
- Understand the potential of automation to transform cellular pathology workflows.
- Explore practical learning from implementation across multiple network locations.
- Consider how automation can support efficiency, consistency and scalable service design.
Case Study - Clinisys
Case Study - Clinisys
Clinisys is a global provider of intelligent diagnostic informatics solutions and expertise designed to redefine the modern laboratory, across healthcare, life sciences, and public health. Millions of diagnostic results and data insights are generated every day using Clinisys’ LIMS and order communications solutions in over 3,000 laboratories across 34 countries.
For more than forty years, Clinisys has served laboratories operating in a range of industries and disciplines. We equip labs with the efficient workflows, accessible data, and innovative tools needed to offer improved decision making, rapid testing, and advanced diagnostic services.
By defining the optimum modern laboratory platform, we have enabled labs to scale rapidly, respond to their customers with agility, and improve their services and capabilities.
Clinisys’ mission is to enhance the effectiveness of diagnostic workflows in any laboratory or testing environment to keep citizens and communities healthier and safer.
Case Study - Automating pre-analytics: powered by Indexor, a sustainable and safe transport system for Pathology Networks
Case Study - Abbott
From removing the regular pain of fingersticks as people manage their diabetes to connecting patients to doctors with real-time information monitoring their hearts, from easing chronic pain and movement disorders to testing half the world’s blood donations to ensure a healthy supply, our purpose is to make the world a better place by bringing life-changing health technologies to the people who need them. That’s our commitment to helping you live your best life.
NHS Deep Dive - From Network Formation to Single Entity: Lessons from the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology Journey
Session Overview:
This session will reflect on the journey of South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology, exploring the shift from a networked model towards a more unified, single-entity approach. The discussion will examine what has worked well, what has been more challenging and what others should consider when moving towards more integrated pathology delivery.
Key themes / delegate outcomes:
- Learn from the practical journey of evolving a pathology network towards a single-entity model.
- Understand the governance, operational and cultural challenges involved in bringing services together.
- Take away key considerations and pitfalls for others undertaking similar pathology transformation.
Case Study - RDI
Case Study - RDI
NHS Deep Dive - Running a Pathology Network in Practice: Leadership, Priorities and Operational Delivery
Session Overview:
This session will draw on Dr Rajesh Rajendran’s experience as Clinical Lead for the Greater Manchester Pathology Network, exploring the practical realities of leading pathology network delivery across multiple organisations.
The presentation will consider how networks can create effective clinical reference group structures, balance organisational ambitions with shared network priorities, and develop the leadership needed to support sustainable pathology transformation.
Key themes / delegate outcomes:
- Understand how to effectively run and structure a Clinical Reference Group within a pathology network.
- Explore how to navigate the balance between individual organisational aspirations and wider network priorities.
- Consider how to build and sustain strong leadership across pathology services during periods of change.
Presentation - From Network Design to Operational Delivery: Building High-Performing Pathology Services at Scale
Session Overview:
Pathology networks are now established across the NHS, but delivering consistent, high-performing services at scale remains a major operational challenge. This session will share practical insight into how networked pathology services can manage demand, improve turnaround times, support workforce sustainability and maintain performance across multiple sites.
Key themes / delegate outcomes:
- Understand how pathology networks can manage demand, flow and turnaround times across multi-site services.
- Explore approaches to building sustainable workforce models across complex pathology systems.
- Learn how networked services can maintain performance while preparing for the next phase of transformation.
Afternoon Skill Clinic - The Future of Pathology Networks: Automation, Innovation and the End-to-End Diagnostic Pathway
Session Overview:
This closing panel will bring together senior voices from across pathology and diagnostics to explore the future of pathology networks. The discussion will focus on automation, innovation, workforce pressures, network maturity, sustainability and the end-to-end diagnostic pathway from sample collection through to reporting and results delivery.
Key themes / delegate outcomes:
- Gain insight into how pathology networks are evolving and what this means for future service design.
- Understand how automation, innovation and workforce transformation can improve efficiency and diagnostic capability.
- Explore practical approaches to strengthening end-to-end diagnostic pathways across modern pathology services.
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