A new, joined-up pathology service has officially launched across Lancashire and South Cumbria, helping to strengthen and modernise diagnostic services for local patients.
From 1 April 2026, pathology services across the region have come together as one service, led by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This change brings staff and expertise from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals into a single, coordinated network.
What this means for patients
For people living in Lancashire and South Cumbria, services will continue exactly as they do now. Blood tests, scans, and other diagnostic services will still be provided at your local hospital or community site, and you will continue to contact your local pathology teams in the usual way.
There are no changes to locations, appointments or how tests are carried out. The purpose of the new service is to improve how NHS organisations work together behind the scenes – not to change what patients experience day-to-day.
Why the service has changed
The NHS has asked local health organisations to work more closely together to strengthen pathology services for the future. By coming together as one network, the service will be able to:
- invest in modern technology
- improve turnaround times for tests
- share expertise more easily
- reduce duplication and operating costs
- support recruitment and retention of specialist staff
These improvements will help ensure that high quality diagnostics continue to be available locally for many years to come.
Modernising diagnostic services
Over the coming months, the new service will begin several important developments, including:
- introducing a new Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to speed up and improve test processing
- expanding Digital Pathology, allowing specialist doctors to review scans and slides electronically
- coordinating equipment purchases across all sites to ensure the latest technology is available where it is needed
This will help make services more efficient and more resilient, supporting faster and more accurate results for patients.
Working together for local communities
This launch marks an important step forward for diagnostics across Lancashire and South Cumbria, and the local NHS would like to thank all colleagues involved for their hard work, dedication, and teamwork in making the new service possible.
Local residents will continue to receive high quality pathology services at their usual locations, with the added benefit of a stronger, more joined up network working behind the scenes to support better care.
