We’re rounding the year off with the exciting news that the Greater Manchester Imaging Network has achieved maturing status, ahead of schedule, and set to be a thriving network by March 2025. This fantastic achievement has been down to the determination and hard work of the team who have continued to deliver the network’s priorities in collaboration with the member organisations. A huge well done to everyone involved!
The Pathology Network is maintaining the level of developing status, with key programmes of work making great strides to progress towards maturing. The Digital Pathology programme has seen three laboratories fully implement the technology this year, with the remaining four laboratories aiming to go live throughout 2025. You can read more about our journey with Digital Pathology in this article in The Biomedical Scientist. The roll out of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is another ambitious programme with complex systems at play, and this year, two trusts have started their rollout. The rest of the programme will continue into 2025 and we are looking forward to seeing the benefits these two digital transformation projects will bring to the patients of Greater Manchester.
As part of the rollout of digital pathology, we organised a patient visit to Oldham Pathology Laboratory where three patients with lived experience were guided through the journey of a digital pathology sample, from its digitisation to its use in enabling faster, more accurate diagnoses. Many patients don’t have the opportunity to see inside a lab, so this engagement emphasised the critical role of public inclusion in advancing healthcare innovation. The visit proved to be a huge success, showing the value of transparency in building trust and highlighted how patient-centred communication can demystify complex medical advancements. The patients were informed on the processes that sit behind samples being taken and were inspired by the visit, having more understanding of the role laboratory staff play in their care.
In May 2024, the Pathology Network was shortlisted in the inaugural IBMS awards in the category of Partnership Working. This recognised the role the network plays in supporting pathology staff across the region with their training and development, as well as working in partnership with educational institutions. The work has been to highlight the role of biomedical scientists in patient care to attract the next generation of the workforce to the NHS.
As we became the Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network with the introduction of the Greater Manchester Endoscopy Network and the Greater Manchester Physiological Sciences Network to our portfolio, we have grown to encompass more of the diagnostic disciplines.
From a performance perspective, Greater Manchester Diagnostics services have taken huge strides towards the goal of achieving much shorter wait times for tests. This is in line with our operational plan target of having less than 10% of patients waiting no more than 6 weeks for their test at the end of March 2025. Performance at present is better than our plan and therefore we are on track to achieve our target in March. This has been a result of all our trusts showing improvement since April 2024, and significant reductions in long waits in Imaging, Echocardiology and Endoscopy tests. The Diagnostics team’s focus for the new year is on supporting further improvement in all tests, with an improvement plan in place for Imaging, best practice being rolled out for Echo and sleep studies, and new processes for supporting mutual aid to potentially increase the use of our capacity across the system.
The Endoscopy Network is one of the more mature networks in the country and has a well-established operational delivery group. Funding has been secured for purchasing Transnasal Endoscopy equipment for three trusts to use across their sites and to expand the delivery of this service. The equipment will be in place by March 2025.
The Endoscopy Network also held a successful stakeholder event in June 2024, to develop priorities for the network and the subgroups. These are:
- review terms of reference and responsibilities of delivery groups
- strengthen links with primary care, Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and upper and lower gastrointestinal cancer pathway boards
- consistent and meaningful data across the system
For Physiological Sciences, we successfully set up the subgroups for each discipline and quickly established subgroup leads. The subgroups have met regularly throughout the year to drive forward the development of the network. To finish the year, we held our Vision of the Future events, bringing together the discipline subgroups to set the priorities for the coming year in line with the recently published maturity matrix.
Across Greater Manchester, the opening of three new Community Diagnostics Centres (CDC) has taken place, bringing more diagnostic tests closer to patients in their local communities. In Oldham, the Community Diagnostics Centre has a new purpose-built Endoscopy unit, helping to speed up diagnosis and treatment for patients. The work of the CDCs is set to continue into 2025 and 2026 ahead of, potentially, a further three-year related programme leading to 2029. Expressions of interest have been requested for some initial CDC expansion opportunities in the coming years. The work is continuing at pace and we are working closely with the local teams to look to capitalise on the opportunities as they arise.
A key objective for the Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network this year has been to inform and educate the next generation in careers in the NHS. To do this the network team have been out and about across the region, attending outreach events to showcase the wide range of professions available. In the last year the network has held three large scale career events at the Museum of Science and Industry (twice) and at Old Trafford Football Stadium (in partnership with the Manchester United Community Foundation). Over the course of these events, we have engaged with more than 1000 13-16 year olds, highlighting the multitude of career options available.
2025 will see us continue with our programme of works as we work more collaboratively across the region to further improve services for patients and staff.
On behalf of the network team, we would like to wish you a happy and healthy festive season.