Pathology News
New state-of-the-art pathology laboratory officially opens
Last week we officially opened our Centre for Laboratory Medicine – a new, state-of-the-art pathology hub serving the West Yorkshire region.
We were delighted to welcome the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care, Will Quince MP and West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin alongside others who were all given a tour of the Centre, meeting our staff and partners along the way.
Budding young scientists from Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School worked alongside our pathology staff on some practical experiments, which really brought the centre to life.
The new lab will be fully operational late 2024 following the installation of new equipment.
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Acute Hospital Lab officially completed
The new Acute Hospital Laboratory (AHL) for Trust has been officially completed at LGI’s Jubilee Wing.
The new laboratory will provide essential and urgent pathology testing facilities to support clinical teams at the hospital when the main pathology service relocates to the brand-new, state-of-the-art Centre for Laboratory Medicine which has just completed construction at SJUH.
At an official event held on 7 September, staff and partners gathered in the new AHL to celebrate its completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Staff will be moving into the AHL following the installation of state-of-the-art equipment and technology.
Most laboratory medicine services are currently delivered from outdated facilities in the Old Medical School at LGI and as part of the Trust’s Building the Leeds Way programme of capital investment and improvements many of these services are being brought together in the new purpose-built, state-of-the-art Centre for Laboratory Medicine at SJUH.
When these services transfer to SJUH, the Old Medical School will be repurposed as part of the Trust’s plan to use surplus estate at the LGI to develop an Innovation Village, creating 4000 new jobs and generating £13bn for the West Yorkshire economy.
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Building Development Committee visits new pathology lab
The Building Development Committee met last week at the Centre for Laboratory Medicine where they were joined by Finance Director, Simon Worthington for a tour of the new pathology facility.
The building has completed construction and preparations are underway for an official opening event next month before new state-of-the-art equipment is installed.
Some pathology colleagues from Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust will be moving to the new lab as part of a wider regional pathology services transformation programme. This collaboration and co-location of services will support the delivery of innovative testing and diagnostics for patients right across West Yorkshire.
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Construction completes on Centre for Laboratory Medicine
BAM Construction has completed works on the Centre for Laboratory Medicine. This will bring together pathology services from Mid Yorkshire and Calderdale to create a regional facility that is set to transform diagnostic testing.
Dame Linda Pollard, our Chairman, took a tour of the new laboratory prior to advanced equipment and new technologies being installed later in the year. The completed lab is a catalyst for our plans to create a new Innovation Village at the LGI site when the Old Medical School is vacated.
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Time capsule buried ahead of lab completion
A time capsule that captures the inner workings of a pathology laboratory has been interred within the grounds of the new Centre for Laboratory Medicine at St James’s University Hospital (SJUH).
Featuring items from working laboratories such as test tubes and PPE equipment, pathology staff profiles including one from a current apprentice and a letter from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Chief Executive, Professor Phil Wood, the time capsule hopes to provide a glimpse of what pathology is currently like for those who come to open it in 2098.
To mark National Pathology Week, an interment event was held at the newly named Centre for Laboratory Medicine – a new state-of-the-art pathology laboratory that is due to complete construction in July.
Trust Chair, Dame Linda Pollard, Professor Phil Wood and Simon Worthington, Director of Finance and Senior Responsible Officer for the Building the Leeds Way programme were joined by pathology staff to inter the capsule close to the entrance of the new lab where it will remain for 75 years.
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National Pathology Week
On Thursday as part of National Pathology Week, Phil Wood - Chief Exective - joined colleagues hosting two drop in-sessions at Thackray Museum of Medicine. They not only showcased and inspired people with the amazing work we do but were also encouraging the next generation to consider a career in pathology.
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Genomics Roadshows
North East and Yorkshire Genomic Medicine Service (NEY GMS) launched their 'Genomics Roadshows' - as part of the national Genomics Conversation Week - with a visit to LGI on Wednesday. The roadshows and accompanying seminars, are a chance to talk with staff and patients about genomics and how it is changing care in the NHS. As Chair of the North East & Yorkshire Genomic Medicine Service Board and I visited the stall to talk with NEY GMS colleagues.
If you want to find out more about genomics, you can sign up to NEY GMS' new series of lunchtime webinars, starting on the 18th July.
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Celebrating Biomedical Science Day
Thanks to Hamish McLure, Chief Medical Officer, and Jenny Lewis, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, for visiting our Pathology colleagues who were sharing what they do as part of Biomedical Science Day.
The day is an annual celebration of biomedical science professionals and celebrates the hard work of our colleagues. A number of colleagues from the team spent time chatting with patients and staff about what they do, their contribution to patient care and current job opportunities. The stalls were held at LGI and SJUH.
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Local trust chairs and chiefs visit new pathology lab
On Tuesday (25 April), we welcomed the Chairs and Chief Executives from other trusts that are part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT).
They were given a tour of the new Centre for Laboratory Medicine at St James’s. Our guests saw first-hand the progress that has been made on the new, state-of-the-art facility which is on track to be completed in the summer.
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New name for pathology laboratory
Our new pathology laboratory currently under construction at our SJUH site will be called the Centre for Laboratory Medicine.
A decision was made on the new name after seeking input and feedback from pathology staff across the Trust as well as colleagues at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, some of whom will also be moving to the new lab later next year.
Construction of the new lab is making great progress with the outer shell of the building now completed. Much of the interior work is now taking place and remains on track for construction to complete in the summer. Pathology services will then transfer to the new building on a phased basis throughout 2024, becoming fully operational following the installation of new, high-tech equipment.
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Board visit to NPIC
Members of the Board visited National Pathology Imaging Co-operative (NPIC) to find out more about the great work happening there. Based out of LTHT, NPIC is a unique collaboration between NHS, academic and industry partners, and is a is a globally-leading centre for applying artificial intelligence (AI) research to cancer diagnosis.
NPIC has been at the forefront of digital pathology and AI research and innovation for over 15 years, with St James’s being one of the world’s first fully digital pathology labs. Successes at Leeds are being used as a blueprint for deployment in other trusts.
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Operational Transformation – Diagnostics
Colleagues from the WYAAT Trusts, the National Pathology Imaging Cooperative (NPIC) and partners from Leica Biosystems attended a special event at the Thackray Museum of Medicine.
This was to celebrate how far we’ve come in delivering a full digital network to pathology services in West Yorkshire and Harrogate and taking a moment to reflect on the fantastic progress of this project.
The digital network is being deployed across the WYAAT partners, connecting pathologists, and transforming our diagnostic capabilities. This drive in revolutionising services and treatment is thanks to the efforts and coordination between NPIC and Leica Biosystems, supported by colleagues across the WYAAT Trusts.
It was wonderful to mark these achievements with partners, including from universities and across the Yorkshire & Humber Academic Health Science Network. This event reflects the importance of collaboration on new technologies, and also highlights our continuing commitment to bring innovation to our services and patient care.
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Operational Transformation – Diagnostics
In Pathology, we are seeing fantastic progress being made on the build of our new laboratory at St James’s Hospital. Bringing these pathology services together into the new building will support the delivery of faster, more accurate routine and specialist testing and will help to drive improvements in diagnosis for patients across the region.
Significant work is also underway through the development of a new partnership between LTHT, Calderdale & Huddersfield and Mid Yorkshire Trusts to consolidate services. A Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) will be launching across West Yorkshire, and new equipment as part of a managed service contract will be introduced. This collaborative work across the region will have huge benefits for staff and patients; improving efficiency and the way test results are processed and communicated.
The new Community Diagnostics Centre at Seacroft Hospital and our existing work to improve performance and demand optimisation will also help to reduce the number of patients coming into an acute hospital for diagnostic tests who could be seen closer to home. The learning from this important work will contribute to the development of efficient new hospitals and an improved patient experience.
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NHS England’s Chief Commercial Officer visits the Trust
This month we hosted a visit from NHS England’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jacqui Rock. Jacqui met with members of our Executive team including Chief Executive Phil Wood, Paul Ralston, Director of Procurement, Craige Richardson, Director of Estates and Facilities and Director of Finance Simon Worthington. Simon gave an overview of the New Hospitals Programme and our aspirations for the Hospitals of the Future development at the LGI.
The day started with a tour of the new Pathology Laboratory with a discussion around the benefits of bringing three Trusts together in a modern purpose-built space, followed by a visit to the new hospitals development site at LGI. Here, Jacqui heard about the proposed plans, current timeline, how it will be a digital-first approach and our sustainability and environmental goals.
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Pathology construction milestone
BAM Construction has now completed the outer shell of our new pathology laboratory at SJUH, which means we are a step closer to transforming diagnostic services right across West Yorkshire.
All the windows have now been fitted using 338 pieces of glass. A further 1,357 individual rainscreen cladding panels have also been fitted to the façade and it is now on track to be operating with power in the coming weeks.
Building works are set to complete in the summer when new, high-tech equipment will then be installed. Staff will begin to move into the new lab on a phased basis from winter and throughout 2024.
Take a look at our latest time-lapse video of the build and you can find out more about the pathology project on our intranet pages.
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Healthcare Science Week
Colleagues from Pathology held an information stall in Bexley Wing, St James’s, as part of Healthcare Science Week. The team have done a great job explaining what they do and the difference they make to patient care.
The week brings together over 50 scientific specialisms and professional groups to celebrate and raise awareness of this diverse NHS workforce. Healthcare science plays a vital role in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease.
Of particular interest was their sock genome display (as seen in the photo), which helps to explain how the genome works in pairs of chromosomes.
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North East & Yorkshire Genomics Laboratory Hub receives one of only two Cancer Long-Read Sequencing Awards from Genomics England
The North East & Yorkshire Genomics Laboratory Hub has been awarded Pathfinder status in the flagship genomics project: Cancer 2.0, to explore novel sequencing technology for earlier diagnosis of cancer.
Scientists in Leeds will explore whether a new generation technology can identify genetic changes more quickly and comprehensively than current techniques.
This proof-of-concept study will establish whether the PromethION is faster, more precise and more effective at identifying genetic changes associated with some types of cancer. This may help to provide earlier diagnosis and identify the type of cancer, to support clinical treatment decisions and open up clinical trial opportunities for patients.
Long-read sequencing using nanopore technology offers the potential for a single test to provide global genomic changes faster than current techniques using short-read sequencing.
The new equipment will be located at the Translational Genomics Unit at St James’, a laboratory that is run jointly with the University of Leeds. If the project is successful, it will help to lead the way with establishing how the third-generation sequencing could be rolled out across the NHS for oncology.
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Encouraging the Pathologists of tomorrow
What do you get when you cross a frog with a pathologist? The answer was at the Thackray Museum of Medicine this half term…
Our colleagues in Pathology have been doing some fantastic work supporting the Thackray with their ‘Behind the Microscope’ exhibition. It follows the story of real-life pathologists as they examine bodies, organs, and disease at the smallest scale. There were also a number of fun and interactive activities for children and young people to take part in, and we shared information about careers in pathology.
Thank you to everyone involved, including Liz Bolton-Speight, Project Manager - Future Pathology Services, who co-ordinated our input, and the Cell Path team who lead the bookable sessions. Brilliant team working and promotion of what we do in Pathology here.
Behind the Microscope runs until 31 August – plenty of time to go and visit!
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Clinical Genetics Celebrates Rare Disease Day
28th February was Rare Disease Day. This is an important day of recognition for families who have (or are at risk of) a rare disease. As 72% of rare diseases are genetic, it is also and important day for the team at the Yorkshire Regional Genetics service (based in CAH) who work hard to support these families in their search for a diagnosis.
Emma, Lauren, and Steph (Genetic Counsellors), along with the other members of the team decided to celebrate by decorating the department and by coming to work in their favourite stripey/bright coloured clothing.
#shareyourstripes #shareyourcolours
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Pathology lab progress update
Over at the new pathology laboratory at St James’s, the majority of the windows and glazing have now been installed. Construction of the new facility will complete in the summer and staff will begin a phased transition into the building at the end of the calendar year following the installation of high-tech equipment and technology.
A lot of the Trust’s pathology services are currently delivered in outdated facilities at the Old Medical School (OMS) at the LGI. The OMS will be going to market for sale later this year as part of a plan to use surplus estate at the LGI to develop an innovation village which is expected to deliver up to 4,000 new jobs and an economic boost of almost £13 billion for our region.
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Construction begins on new lab for urgent testing
Last week, our Finance Director, Simon Worthington met with members of the pathology team as construction of our new Acute Hospital Laboratory (AHL) began at the LGI.
The 24/7 operated AHL is being built on A Floor Jubilee Wing. It will provide urgent pathology facilities to clinical teams at the LGI when the main pathology service relocates to the brand-new state-of-the-art pathology laboratory currently under construction at St James’s Hospital.
Completing in summer 2023, the AHL will co-locate Blood Sciences and Blood Bank together in one purpose-built facility but to ensure there is no disruption to the service during the works, the Blood Bank team moved to a temporary lab within the LGI last month.
Take a look at what the new AHL will look like in the video here.
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Temporary decant lab becomes operational
Earlier this month, our Blood Bank team began their temporary move into our new ‘decant’ laboratory on A Floor Jubilee Wing at the LGI.
This is to allow for the construction of our new, Acute Hospital Laboratory (AHL) which is on the same floor and will start next month. The works are scheduled to complete in the summer 2023. Once complete the AHL will co-locate Blood Sciences with the Blood Bank together within one purpose-built laboratory.
Pathology is one of the key projects in Leeds Teaching Hospitals’ Building the Leeds Way Programme of capital investment and improvements across the Trust.
It will consolidate pathology services at LGI and most of those at St James’s University Hospital (SJUH) into one purpose-built laboratory at SJUH, with advanced equipment and technologies to support leading-edge testing and diagnostics. The AHL will provide essential pathology facilities to support clinical services at the LGI when the main pathology teams transfer to the new pathology building throughout 2023 and 2024 following the installation of new, high-tech equipment.
Don’t hesitate to email the team at newpathologysjuh@nhs.net if you have any questions.
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‘Topping-out’ our new pathology laboratory
On Tuesday, we celebrated a very significant milestone in the building progress at our new pathology laboratory at St James’s, which is set to support improvements in diagnosis for people right across our region. To mark the completion of the roof on the new building, we held a ‘topping-out’ ceremony where staff and our partners were invited on a tour and to sign the concrete stair core leading to the roof. We were also pleased to welcome Cathy Elliott, Chair of the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and Lisa Griffin, Regional Pathology Transformation Lead at NHS England to the event. Take a look at our latest time-lapse footage on YouTube which shows the finished roof!
Building completion is planned for the end of summer 2023 and set to become fully operational by the end of next year with Pathology services transferring throughout 2023 and 2024 following the installation of new, high tech equipment.
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Pathology Time Lapse
The steel frame structure of our new, state-of-the-art pathology laboratory at St James’s is now complete, marking another significant milestone in the delivery of the project which is set to support improvements in diagnostic testing across our region.
Footage captured by our time-lapse camera shows the steel frame being built around the lift and stair cores, with BAM Construction having completed the 10-week process on the building’s main structure.
Building completion is planned for the end of summer 2023 and set to become fully operational by the end of 2023 with services transferring throughout 2023 and 2024.
The new facility will become part of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Pathology Network, and will support the delivery of pathology services across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
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