On Wednesday 15th May, the pathology laboratory at the Royal Oldham Hospital went clinically live with Digital Pathology. This means they are the first laboratory in Greater Manchester to be reporting on
Led by the Greater Manchester Pathology Network, this major milestone comes four months after the technical go live and is the culmination of fifteen months of work since the programme began. The project has been delivered whilst the laboratory team continue to provide a high-quality service for pathology test for patients.
This advancement in technology involves the scanning of traditional glass slides so they can now be viewed as an image rather than through a microscope to provide a diagnosis for patients. By having digital pathology, results can be shared securely between hospital experts across the network, replacing the need to transport glass slide samples between hospitals. This will enable patients to have a faster turnaround time for test results and treatment can be started sooner.
The team at the Royal Oldham Hospital have chosen to prioritise bladder, colonic and duodenal biopsies to enable all consultant histopathologists and trainees to complete the required training to report digitally and safely.
Beth Tumilty, Programme Lead, Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network comments, ‘I am delighted for the entire Oldham team on achieving this milestone in our GM Digital Pathology journey. It is testament to months of dedication and hard work and a fantastic collaboration of key stakeholders. Oldham pathology are the trailblazers within the GM Pathology network, and I am excited to continue with the team on this journey to achieve optimisation of the system. This new technology will enhance resilience, maintain high standards of diagnostic accuracy and improve overall patient outcomes with faster treatment turnaround times.’
The roll out of digital pathology across Greater Manchester continues at pace, with the laboratory at Salford Royal Hospital soon to follow. The ambitious programme will see all seven laboratories across the region implement digital pathology by 2025.