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!

The Chair opens with an overview of how pathology sits at the heart of the NHS Long Term Plan from modernising laboratories and expanding workforce capacity, to using innovation to meet rising demand.

Session Overview:

The Scarborough, Hull, York Pathology Service is a maturing network. It is a hosted joint venture and went live on 1^st November 2021. The presentation will focus on my experience over the last 4 years and how we can continue to drive transformation.

Facilitator:

Bruce Daniel, Deputy Director of Diagnostics, NHS England (Confirmed)

Speakers:

• Chris Sleight – Previous C-Level Pathology Network Leader, GM Diagnostics Network (Confirmed)
• Graham Danks, Former Digital Diagnostics & Pathology Network Programme Director (Confirmed)

Session Overview:

This unique Knowledge Exchange Panel brings together senior diagnostics and pathology network leaders for an open, reflective discussion on what happens beyond the network journey,  what they learned, what they would approach differently, and what the next generation of leaders must prioritise.

With insights spanning blood sciences, digital diagnostics, genomics, interoperability, and regional network leadership, the panel will offer a rare, candid view into the realities of delivering transformation at scale.

Facilitated by NHS England, the conversation will explore:

• Governance and operational identity across networks
• Workforce models and culture-building
• Digital maturity, LIMS lessons, and interoperability challenges
• Aligning local realities with national diagnostic strategy
• The leadership traits required for the next phase of system-wide diagnostics reform

Expect honest reflections, practical advice, and system-wide learning unavailable anywhere else.

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.

Morning Break

Networking & exhibition with digital pathology suppliers and workforce support initiatives.

Chair Morning Reflection (Confirmed)

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.

Case Study - ProfilerLive

Supporting workforce engagement and assurance through sustained change.

Transfusion is one of the smallest diagnostic disciplines by volume, yet one of the most safety-critical, operating under real-time clinical pressure, stringent MHRA regulation, and increasingly complex digital workflows. As pathology networks evolve and ICS-based diagnostic models mature, transfusion services must modernise without compromising responsiveness or safety.

In this session, Chris Elliott draws on decades of experience in national and regional transfusion modernisation to explore:

• How risk-based thinking actually works in a live, safety-critical diagnostic environment
• The real operational differences between centralised, federated and hybrid transfusion models
• Why governance failure in transfusion escalates faster than in other blood sciences
• The interoperability barriers still slowing down safe digital transfusion pathways,  and what it will take to fix them
• How to balance MHRA expectations, workforce flexibility, and technological change without destabilising service delivery
• Lessons from implementing remote issue, electronic requesting/reporting, and cross-discipline workforce models

Packed with practical examples and honest reflections, this session provides a grounded view of how to modernise transfusion safely within wider pathology transformation,  and what leaders must understand before re-designing services that cannot fail.

Case Study - UK NEQAS

Pathology, genomics, and digital diagnostics underpin the majority of clinical decision-making across the NHS, yet sustainable transformation depends as much on workforce capability as on technology adoption. As diagnostic services move towards integrated, data-driven models, there is a growing need for accessible, high-quality education that supports professional development, role advancement, and confident clinical practice. Pressures on staffing, service delivery, and training capacity have made it difficult for laboratories to provide protected learning time and equitable access to education across disciplines.

UK NEQAS Cellular Pathology Technique (CPT) has evolved beyond its established role in external quality assessment to deliver a comprehensive digital education ecosystem aligned with modern diagnostic workflows that complements local training provision rather than competing with it. Through its eLearning platform, interpretive proficiency testing, and case-based educational resources, UK NEQAS CPT supports both generic and cellular pathology education across all roles, disciplines, and career stages.

The UK NEQAS CPT eLearning platform provides flexible, self-paced learning designed around real-world laboratory challenges, digital pathology practice, and evolving professional roles. Content is developed by subject matter experts and is aligned with professional standards thus supporting continuous professional development, portfolio evidence, and competency demonstration. Importantly, learning is closely aligned with routine diagnostic practice, supporting pattern recognition, decision-making confidence, and reflective learning within clinical workflows.

By embedding education alongside quality assurance, UK NEQAS CPT enables measurable capability-building rather than isolated training interventions. This approach directly supports NHS priorities including the Digital Diagnostics Capability programme, integrated diagnostics pathways, workforce sustainability, and equitable access to education across systems and geographies.

This session will demonstrate how UK NEQAS CPT’s integrated educational offer can support system-wide diagnostic excellence by developing confident, competent professionals who are equipped to work across digitally enabled, interoperable diagnostic services. Attendees will gain insight into how education can be positioned as core infrastructure for diagnostic transformation, supporting both patient outcomes and workforce progression.

Lunch and Networking

Networking, food & exhibition with digital pathology suppliers and workforce support initiatives.

The Chair reviews morning insights and sets out how afternoon sessions will deepen focus on case studies and actionable strategies to achieve the NHS vision for diagnostics and early detection.

Case Study - Salutare

Session Overview:

This presentation highlights the refurbishment of a pathology laboratory and how modernised spaces and equipment support faster, more efficient diagnosis. It also explores sustainable design approaches, including energy efficiency and low-carbon solutions, helping the laboratory contribute toward net zero goals while improving clinical performance.

Session Overview:

NWLP is one of only a handful of NHS pathology networks operating at a fully “thriving” level across every domain of the NHSE maturity matrix. This session provides a practical, evidence-backed walkthrough of how NWLP achieved sustainable operational, digital and cultural maturity.

From governance structures to digital optimisation and workforce capability, Matthew will share actionable insights that networks can directly apply regardless of size, geography, or current maturity stage.

Key Learning Areas:

• Building and sustaining network-wide operational identity.
• Governance that drives accountability and measurable outcomes.
• Workforce models that support resilience and development.
• Digital and LIMS optimisation for standardisation and safety.
• Applying outcomes-focused maturity evidence.

Facilitator:

Speakers:

• Branko Perunovic – Chief Medical Officer, Black Country Pathology Service (Confirmed)
• Chris Elliott - Assistant Director Pathology: Business Development and Transformation, NHS Blood and Transplant

Session Overview:

This panel explores how risk-based thinking is reshaping diagnostic governance,  bringing together safety, cyber security, data integrity, and system resilience as interconnected responsibilities within pathology networks.

Delegates will gain practical insight into how risk mapping across people, processes, and digital systems can support safer diagnostics, protect LIMS-dependent workflows, and strengthen ICS-wide resilience.

Key Themes:

• The rise of cyber safety as a diagnostic safety issue.
• How networks can share risk intelligence across regions.
• Mapping risk across digital, workforce, and clinical pathways.
• Practical tools, frameworks and checklists for operational use.

Digital transformation in diagnostics is often measured by system deployment, not system impact.

This breakout Skill Clinic reframes evaluation using the “Form, Function, Outcomes, Capability” framework to assess what digital investment truly delivers for patients and staff.

Delegates will work through applied templates for assessing interoperability, quality improvement, and workforce capability, ensuring digital tools translate into measurable service value.

Food, Drinks & Networking

Networking, food, drinks & exhibition with digital pathology suppliers and workforce support initiatives.

End of Day