West Yorkshire’s new state-of-the-art pathology lab officially opened

A cutting-edge pathology laboratory designed to serve patients across West Yorkshire was officially opened last week by the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care, Will Quince.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's Centre for Laboratory Medicine marks a significant milestone in regional healthcare as it is set to house pathology services from Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

The opening event on 26 September attracted VIP guests from both the region and the nation, who had the privilege of touring the state-of-the-art facility.

Attendees engaged with project staff and partners from BAM, Siemens and Clinisys to gain insights into the benefits this modern facility promises to deliver to patients, healthcare professionals, and the wider community.

This pioneering regional partnership, forged in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), will drive innovation in testing and diagnostics. Equipped with advanced technology and cutting-edge equipment, the laboratory aims to deliver faster results for patients, irrespective of their geographical location.

Consolidating essential pathology services within this state-of-the-art facility will streamline access to routine and direct testing while fostering improved working environments for staff. It will also facilitate seamless continuity and transfer of patient care across the region.

Dame Linda Pollard, Chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, expressed her excitement about the opening of the new pathology laboratory, saying: "This is a landmark occasion for Leeds Teaching Hospitals and is the fruition of months of hard work from our staff and partners.

“I am incredibly proud to see that this fantastic new facility is now officially opened. Pathology plays a crucial role in the delivery of frontline care, and I am excited to see how, together with our colleagues in Calderdale and Mid Yorkshire, we can really drive innovative diagnostic testing across West Yorkshire.”

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust’s Chief Executive, Len Richards, said: “The official opening represents an important milestone for Pathology services, both at Mid Yorkshire and across the region, with the centre set to provide opportunity and innovation through the use of new, advanced equipment to speed up the testing process, resulting in a better patient experience.”

Its environmentally conscious features include full mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems to minimise power consumption and promote heat reuse.

Additionally, the laboratory will adopt a single, shared Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to enable electronic test requests, tracking, and results reporting to clinical services across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

The Centre for Laboratory Medicine is set to become fully operational in 2024 after the installation of cutting-edge equipment and technology.