I thought that I had replied to this email earlier, but can find no trace of it so apologies if you receive a similar response from me twice.

Whilst no doubt there will be issues with respect to how PHE and NHS labs handled this outbreak, how could there not be given the scale of the pandemic, they appear to be being made scapegoats. There is very little mention in the national press of the difficulties encountered obtaining reagents and the fact that early supplies of primers were contaminated. No mention either of the long hours that some lab staff, especially those involved in testing have been and are working. Then there are instances such as happened in a local primary school when the headteacher told a biomedical scientist heavily involved in Covid19 testing that her children couldn't go to the school because 'she was not a doctor or a nurse'. Staff, especially at the bench, must be feeling pretty demoralised whilst at the same time rising to the challenges as they always do.

Whilst professional bodies have tried to get publicity for the role of lab staff, success has been very limited. Little mention on national TV and radio. I wonder if the professional bodies, e.g, RCPath ACB and IBMS, could get a template letter together so that each of us in the UK at least, could write to national and local media, MPs et c laying out how laboratories and their staff have and are responding to the crisis. It should be accurate and where possible positive.

The negative reporting of PHE/NHS labs and the promotion of the role of the private sector does not bode well for the future. I think that we should all of us to try and get an accurate message out, but we need to be 'singing from the same hymn sheet' Leaving it to the individual professional bodies does not seem to be working, even though they are trying hard.

Best wishes

Dr Mike Bosomworth

Retired Consultant Clinical Scientist

On Wed, 15 Apr 2020 at 08:37, Craig Webster <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Another interview on Radio 4 from a lab wanting to do tests but only if the slow and lumbering PHE and NHS would let them order reagents. No counter point, no questions about why allowing them to order supply constrained reagents would mean a PHE/NHS lab wouldn't be doing tests while they would. Just the view yet again we are incompetent and unresponsive. Poor journalism from what usually is a good programme.

but, seriously getting beyond a joke now.

See you all in the next review of pathology labs after this is over, with as someone mentioned in an email, a focus on creating private partnerships to leverage private sector flexibility/supply chain excellence , fill your own reason in.

Craig Webster
Consultant Clinical Scientist
Acting Pathology Director
Clinical Service Lead - Biochemistry and Immunology

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Pathology - University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

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