Backlogs is supporting the Department of Cellular Pathology at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, providing consultant interpretation for approximately one-third of its cases.
Using a network of UK-based specialist consultant pathologists, Backlogs online pathology reporting service offers a rapid turnaround with secure online reporting via its web-based system.
This is enabling the department to manage its workload efficiently, and effectively focus in-house resources on areas of greatest clinical need.
'In common with other cellular pathology and histology departments we currently face a nationwide shortage of suitably qualified consultants,' said Dr Paul Barrett, lead clinician in cellular pathology for the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.
'On the laboratory side, processing samples is not a problem, but consultant interpretation is a significant issue.
'By sending our more routine but time-consuming samples to Backlogs we can focus our in-house resources where they are needed most,' he added.
The decision to use a reporting service at Durham was made following limited success in the use of locums and recruiting from elsewhere in the EU.
Working on a flat fee per case, with no binding contracts, Backlogs provides a flexible service that can be started and stopped at any time.
'Even though the number of samples we send to Backlogs fluctuates widely, depending on how much consultant time is available in house, they always have the capacity to deal with the work,' said Barrett.
'Being able to access reports online allows us to quickly provide an interim report to the clinician, and then to download a full report that is integrated into patient records,' he added.
Backlogs has experience with more than 34 NHS Trusts, from routine sample case reporting through to duty of care reviews.
The service is suitable for holiday or sickness cover, or simply to deal with fluctuations in workload.
