Hi Paul,

Speaking with my hats as the regional ACB and college chairs. We have tried at every opportunity to engage in this process. We were invited to the initial clinical specification meetings and wrote to them expressing concerns which you mentioned. I've included the letter written from the college regarding this process. The response was thank you for your input and we share some of your concerns. Without seeing the specification it is difficult to know if this has had any influence on the specification. Rumour would suggest not.

There was a similar response from the ACB.

The main thrust of argument from both organisations was that there is a health care eco system that cannot be easily broken into constituent units without dramatic effect throughout the whole system. But then again the counter argument would be that this kind of disruptive "innovation" is exactly what the system requires.

Personally I would prefer a system that integrates healthcare across all boundaries and offers the best for the people who use our services and ultimately patients (and from a political point of view which I don't mind sharing, without independent sector involvement). If we are taking the Carter report as the blueprint for change then the tariff system would be the best way to achieve this in my opinion.

Being devils advocate, perhaps professionally we have maintained and created boundaries that shouldn't have been there and now we are reaping the "rewards". All to often the argument is "You can't do this" and no viable alternative is offered. Status quo isn't an option.

Cheers
Craig

Craig Webster
Clinical Service Lead, Blood Sciences
Consultant Clinical Scientist
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital
Birmingham
B95SS


From: "Griffiths Paul BCH (RQ3)" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Reply-To: "Griffiths Paul (RQ3) BCH" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Date: Thursday, 31 January 2013 11:38
To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Subject: Re: "A Step Forward In The Transformation Of Pathology Services"

Dear Colleague,

The silence from the profession regarding this issue is deafening! This initiative has the potential to destabilise many pathology departments, taking away upwards of 50% of their workload. They will still be required to provide an acute service for their Trust, including out-of hours. This will subsequently increase their unit costs and brings into serious question the proposed financial benefits, especially when taking into account the costs and difficulties of moving samples around large conurbations.
You may have read the anonymous article in the ACB News Sheet on what has happened to the service in the East of England as part of this “transformation” process. The fact that the authors did not feel able to put their names to this article speaks volumes about the nature of the process.

Are we, as a profession, happy with what is happening?

I would encourage and welcome a debate on this issue.

Regards

Paul

Paul Griffiths
Consultant Biochemist
Head of Department & Director of Newborn Screening
Newborn Screening and Biochemical Genetics Dept.
Paediatric Laboratory Medicine
Birmingham Children's Hospital
Tel +44 (0)121 333 9923

From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jonathan Kay
Sent: 30 January 2013 18:45
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: "A Step Forward In The Transformation Of Pathology Services"

"A Step Forward In The Transformation Of Pathology Services
Notices have today been published in the Official Journal for the European Union (OJEU) advertising the three tender opportunities to provide community pathology services for the East and West Midlands. "

http://www.strategicprojectseoe.co.uk/uploads/Press%20Release%20(28%20January%2013)%20v6a.pdf

Jonathan
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------ACB discussion List Information-------- This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry. Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content. ACB Web Site http://www.acb.org.uk Green Laboratories Work http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk List Archives http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html List Instructions (How to leave etc.) http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/

------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content.
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