Path360 Scotland: Advancing Healthcare Science and Diagnostics Across Scotland
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Path360 Scotland: Advancing Healthcare Science and Diagnostics Across Scotland
A Scotland-led, system-focused summit designed to move beyond theory and into practical understanding
Take part in our conference prize draw by visiting all stands and scanning your lanyard at each for a chance to win £100 voucher.
Sponsors & Partners
Current Landscape and Challenges:
Healthcare science and pathology services in Scotland are entering a critical phase of transformation, shaped by the Service Renewal Framework and a growing emphasis on population health delivery. While laboratory services remain central to diagnosis and treatment, there is increasing recognition of their broader role in prevention, system planning and long-term care models.
However, challenges remain. Variation in laboratory testing and service models across regions continues to impact consistency and efficiency. Workforce pressures, visibility of healthcare science professions and alignment between national strategy and local delivery all present ongoing barriers. At the same time, Scotland’s distinct system structure means that approaches commonly adopted elsewhere in the UK, such as diagnostic hub models, are not directly transferable.
There is a clear need to strengthen system-wide understanding, improve standardisation where appropriate, and better articulate the value of healthcare science within a modern, integrated health system.
Timeliness of the Event:
This event comes at a pivotal moment for Scotland’s healthcare system. With national focus shifting toward service renewal, place-based delivery and population health outcomes, the role of pathology and laboratory services is being redefined.
There is also growing momentum to reposition healthcare science as a strategic enabler, rather than a supporting function. National bodies, professional organisations such as IBMS and RCPath, and system leaders are increasingly aligned on the need to elevate the profession’s voice and influence.
At the same time, Scotland is uniquely placed to shape its own direction, with opportunities to drive innovation, inward investment and system-wide consistency in a way that reflects its national priorities rather than external models.
This event provides a timely forum to bring these conversations together, grounded in the Scottish context and focused on practical delivery.
Key Learning Points:
- Understanding how pathology and healthcare science align to Scotland’s Service Renewal and Population Health frameworks.
- Exploring approaches to standardisation of laboratory testing and reducing unwarranted variation.
- Gaining clearer insight into the structure and function of Scotland’s diagnostic and laboratory services.
- Learning how to better position healthcare science as a strategic contributor to system-wide outcomes.
- Hearing real-world professional and leadership experiences from across pathology and laboratory services.
- Exploring the role of biochemistry and laboratory innovation in improving service delivery.
- Understanding how place-based models influence diagnostic service design and delivery.
- Identifying opportunities for innovation and inward investment within Scottish healthcare science.
Why Attend:
This is a Scotland-led, system-focused summit designed to move beyond theory and into practical understanding. It brings together national leaders, laboratory professionals and system partners to explore how healthcare science can play a more visible, strategic role in delivering better outcomes across Scotland. Through a combination of system insight and real-world experiences, the event will provide clarity on how services are evolving and where the key opportunities for impact sit.
Delegates will also benefit from open, honest discussion around the realities of delivery, gaining a clearer understanding of how they can contribute to shaping the future of pathology and laboratory services within a distinctly Scottish context. The focus throughout is on practical learning, shared experience and strengthening the role of healthcare science within the wider system.
Relevance for Sponsors & Partners
This conference provides a highly targeted platform for diagnostics, pathology, laboratory technology and healthcare science partners supporting the transformation of pathology services across Scotland.
Sponsors will be well-positioned to demonstrate how their solutions enable:
- Digital pathology, AI and automation tools that improve reporting capacity, diagnostic accuracy and turnaround times.
- LIMS, interoperability and data-sharing platforms that support connected pathology networks and standardised service delivery.
- Laboratory workflow, sample tracking and operational efficiency solutions that help reduce variation and improve end-to-end diagnostic pathways.
- Genomics, molecular diagnostics and advanced testing technologies supporting earlier diagnosis and more personalised care.
- Workforce, training and transformation solutions that help pathology teams respond to rising demand, skills gaps and service pressures.
- Quality, governance and assurance platforms that support safe, consistent and scalable pathology service improvement.
- Infrastructure, equipment and managed service models that help NHS Scotland build more resilient and future-ready laboratory services.
Your Pass Includes....
- This conference is CPD accredited. Attendees will be eligible to gain 8 CPD points upon completion of the event.
- Access to a leading conference speaker programme
- Interactive Q&A sessions
- Leadership Lessons from the Front Line
- Cross-sector best practice
- Meet the supplier opportunities
- Hot breakfast & Lunch included
Tickets For NHS Senior Managers
We have an invite only option for NHS Senior Managers for our conference, to see if you qualify for a complimentary place please click the button below.
Conference Speakers
Ashley
Ballard
Consultant Biomedical Scientist & Digital Pathology Lead
University Hospitals Dorset
Read biography
Dr Jenny
Nobes
Clinical Lecturer in Chemical Pathology
University of Dundee/NHS Tayside
Read biography
The programme
Registration & Networking
Registration - Open from 8:20 am - Closes at 11:00 am
All delegates must complete their registration process before the 11:00 AM cut-off time. Please arrive in a timely manner to allow for registration and to avoid any inconvenience. Delegates who arrive after the registration deadline will be refused entry to the event.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain the event's schedule and ensuring that everyone can fully participate in the conference. If you have any questions or require assistance, our event staff will be available to assist you with the registration process.
Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to an insightful and productive event together!
Morning Keynote - National Perspective on the Current Landscape
Session Overview:
A national view on how healthcare science and pathology are evolving within Scotland’s Service Renewal and population health agenda.
Delegate Outcomes:
- Understand how national strategy translates into service-level priorities
- Gain insight into the role of healthcare science in population health delivery
- Identify where pathology sits within Scotland’s wider system transformation
Morning Skill Clinic - Delivering Differently: New Models of Care and Testing
Speakers:
- Naomi Elkin, Clinical Scientist and Scheme Organiser, UK NEQAS Cardiac Markers - NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- Clare Davenport, Clinical Associate Professor in Diabetes Medicine - University of Birmingham
Session Overview:
Exploring how testing, regulation and care delivery models are evolving, and what this means for pathology and healthcare science services.
Delegate Outcomes:
- Understand emerging models such as patient-led and community-based testing.
- Explore the role of quality assurance and regulation in new pathways.
- Identify opportunities to redesign services around patient need.
Main Sponsor - Improving Diagnostic Turnaround Times in Histopathology
Main Sponsor - Source LDPath
Session Overview:
What would it mean for you to be able to quantify digital pathology implementation for your hospital / department? If only it were as simple as it sounds. A walk-through updated NHS requirements for histopathology TATs and what the private sector can do to support you in achieving them. Focus will be on case studies to date and the Health Economic Model for Digital Pathology.
Morning Break
Got a great question? Ask it during the session for a chance to win a voucher for the best audience question.
Case Study - Beyond Boundaries: Unlocking the next level of Connected Pathology
Case Study - InterSystems
Session Overview:
Laboratory networks have transformed collaboration and resilience, with many now operating across shared or consolidated LIMS environments. The next step is connecting beyond organisational and platform boundaries creating a shared AI enabled view of data insights, workload, demand, capacity, electronic referrals, and a rich patient pathology record.
Case Study - From Competence to Confidence: Building Workforce Assurance Across Diagnostic Services
Case Study - ProfilerLive
Session Overview:
Diagnostic services are being asked to deliver greater productivity, standardisation and resilience while managing continuous workforce and service change. Yet many organisations still rely on fragmented training records, spreadsheets and retrospective reporting to understand whether staff are trained, competent and current. Drawing on experience from complex NHS diagnostic services, Simon Brown will explore how organisations are moving from traditional Training & Competency management towards real-time workforce assurance.
The session will look at how a connected digital foundation can improve visibility, strengthen governance and help organisations manage workforce capability through change, while providing leaders with clearer evidence of where capability is strong, where gaps exist and where action is required. Using practical examples from pathology networks including North West London Pathology and South West London Pathology, the presentation will show how workforce capability can become part of day-to-day operational management rather than a periodic compliance exercise. The central question is simple: Can we move from knowing that competency records exist to having real confidence that our workforce is ready to support safe, resilient services?
Leadership Interview Session - Service to System Leadership
Healthcare systems are becoming increasingly complex, requiring healthcare science (HCS) leaders to move beyond service delivery into national, system level roles. The move requires a shift from service management to strategic influence, with a focus on patient outcomes, policy alignment, and population health.
HCS leaders must align competing priorities such as workforce, quality, education, and patient safety within wider system goals, while broadening their perspective, working across disciplines, and developing political awareness.
Success also requires strong executive presence, clear communication, and the ability to influence and navigate ambiguity while maintaining scientific credibility. A key responsibility is translating policy and research into scalable, practical solutions, alongside intentionally developing future leaders through mentorship and opportunities to gain executive level experience.
Case Study - One Dorset Pathology: A Cloud-Native Digital Pathology Case Study
Case Study - Fujifilm
Session Overview:
University Hospitals Dorset have implemented a digital pathology platform across a number of sites utilising AWS to host the solution and provide storage. This brings together the Fujifilm Synapse platform, LIMS and tracking system integration, clinical AI and data analytics platforms, as well as a VNA and digital integration to external partners in a single cloud hosted environment. This case study walks through the architecture and deployment sequence, what worked well, and what was harder than expected. It also examines the operational picture today and how a full cloud deployment is helping us overcome the workload and turnaround time challenges familiar to most NHS histopathology services.
Lunch & Networking
Got a great question? Ask it during the session for a chance to win a voucher for the best audience question.
Case Study
Case Study
NHS Deep Dive - The Smart Laboratory: How Innovation Can Shape Our Future
Session Overview:
In my talk I want to look at the challenges facing laboratory medicine and how we can use technology to help overcome them and aid the future direction of service design. I will look at all the phases of the analytical process and discuss how we can incorporate features such as clinical decision support into our routine way of working, whilst retaining the necessary quality.
Key Themes:
- What are the challenges facing the profession and how are we addressing key developments and changes in the way we provide healthcare.
- What technologies are available to allow us improve.
- What infrastructure changes are required in order to maintain a high quality service.
Case Study
Case Study
NHS Deep Dive - Genomics and Population Health: Future Approaches for Scotland
Session Overview:
The presentation will explore how genomics has the potential to transform Scotland's approach to population health, shifting the focus from treating disease to predicting, preventing, and personalising care across the life course while supporting equitable and sustainable healthcare delivery.
Key Areas:
- Harnessing genomics for prevention and population health: How genomic can enable earlier disease prediction, targeted screening, prevention strategies, and more personalised healthcare across Scotland.
- Building on Scotland's strengths: Leveraging Scotland's integrated NHS, national datasets, research excellence, and genomic medicine infrastructure to deliver population-scale benefits.
- Preparing for the future: Addressing the challenges of implementation, ethics, workforce capability, public trust, and equitable access while developing a sustainable national genomics strategy for improved health outcomes.
Afternoon Skill Clinic - Real-World Applications of AI in Pathology
Session Overview:
A practical exploration of how AI is being used within pathology today, focusing on real implementation rather than theory.
Delegate Outcomes:
- Understand real-world use cases of AI in pathology.
- Explore challenges and opportunities in adoption.
- Identify where AI can add value within services.
Tea, Coffee & Networking
Got a great question? Ask it during the session for a chance to win a voucher for the best audience question.
End of Day
Every attendee makes a difference. We’ll donate one tree for every delegate attending the conference to our partners over at Play it Green and £1 to our Charity of the Year, Stockport Without Abuse.
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