More than 250 UK and Ireland laboratory managers have met in London to participate in Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics' first annual Siemens Academy meeting.
The three-day event provided an engaging and enlightening forum to learn commercial skills, understand the need for long-term pathology planning, embrace business tools and absorb scientific best practice from peers spearheading change.
Specialist lectures, real laboratory case studies and open debate sessions were combined to draw together all the key topics facing pathology.
Guest speakers, Siemens representatives and the hundreds of delegates were able to discuss openly the current challenges and solutions facing pathology today.
Luis de Luzuriaga, managing director of Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, said: 'We are in long-term partnerships with NHS laboratories and one of our responsibilities is to support them beyond the basics of laboratory and equipment operation.
'Equipped with extra scientific, management and commercial knowledge, Siemens partners are better prepared to develop a vision and strategy from inside.
'The Siemens Academy has been developed to help prepare the pathology landscape for change and raise knowledge to a new level.' Topics discussed included the commercialisation of pathology; the impact of both the Carter and Darzi reports; the strategies needed to address an ageing scientific workforce; advances in point-of-care testing and laboratory automation; plus effective business management and leadership skills to move pathology forward.
Customer speakers included University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Grampian and Partnership Pathology Services.
Delegates were also introduced to NHS Pathology Plus, a Siemens-led partnership programme that helps leading NHS Trusts to respond effectively in the evolving diagnostics marketplace.
The partnerships provide Siemens customers with the commercial support needed to extend their reach into primary care, and to other secondary care partners.
The next annual Siemens Academy event is scheduled for June 2010.
