Four new Histopathologist Consultants have been appointed to Black Country Pathology Services (BCPS) – a real boost for the region amid the global shortage in this specialism.
Histopathology focuses on the diagnosis and study of diseases of the tissues and involves examining tissues and/or cells under a microscope. Histopathologists also take part in studies to provide diagnostic and prognostic information or determine the cause of death.
Rita Mistry, BCPS Discipline Lead: Cellular Pathology, said: “This is great news for us as only three per cent of labs have full establishment due to a national shortage of histopathologists.
“The fact we have recruited four new colleagues is exciting and remarkable against that backdrop.”
The ongoing demands created by the COVID-19 pandemic and national cancer recovery plans mean the current BCPS workload has increased by a fifth compared to pre-pandemic levels; considerably higher than 2018 projections.
Post-pandemic recovery has also seen fluctuation in demand which has spread across many diagnostic pathways such as Gastrointestinal (GI) pathology and dermatopathology which looks at skin, hair and nails to diagnose diseases.
Dr Jose Lopes and Hadeel Jawad will start their posts this month, joining skin, GI, and urology teams. Dr Muhammad Amin Ur Rahman will start in September joining skin, urology and gynae team and Dr Ovidiu Tica will hopefully join BCPS in October where he will be part of the skin and breast teams.
The Royal College of Pathologists 2017-18 UK workforce census indicated a shortage of more than 25 per cent, with a significant proportion of consultants approaching retirement age.
Rita added: “These new additions to the team will have a positive impact on managing the current reporting demands the service is faced with.
“We are attributing our success to a positive culture, flexibility and strategic positioning in the Midlands which means BCPS Cellular Pathology remains an attractive employer for Cellular Pathology Consultants.”
BCPS is a joint service run by four Trusts – Walsall, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and is based at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton.