Weston and Bristol acutes to merge pathology services

Under the system the hub would provide all specialist and non-acute testing while spokes would provide analytical services that require a turnaround time of 120 minutes or less.

The trusts involved, North Bristol Trust, Univeristy Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust and Weston Area Health Trust, have each appointed an executive director to a project board. The Health Protection Agency, which provides all microbiology services to UHB and reference laboratory services across a wider area, is also involved in the reconfiguration.

Three possible models have been developed and impact asessments are being carried out. The first has one hub and two spokes offering varying amounts of services with the smaller spoke at WAHT. The location of the main hub in this model has not been determined.

The two other models involve splitting the hub across two sites with the spoke at Weston. The two Bristol trusts were recommended to develop an integrated histapathology service following by last year’s independent review into allegations of histopathology misdiagnosis at UHB. Although the review found services at UHB were safe it was critical of the rivalry between the trusts’ histapathology departments.

A report to the WAHT board at the begining of July warned that removal of work generated by primary care could potentially make the spoke less less financially efficient so arrangements would need to be put in place to make sure all three trusts share the financial efficiencies associated with the arrangments.

It states: “The mechanism for such a process is as yet undecided, although if as is likely the service moves into an integrated management structure under a single lead provider Trust, the overall savings could be reflected in the service tariff agreed between the provider and consumer organisations.”