In the fast-paced world of pathology, where millions of samples are processed to unlock the secrets of health and disease, leadership is less about sitting behind a desk and more about orchestrating a complex, human-centred operation. For Thomas Walton, the Chemistry Network Lead for SWLP, every day is a dynamic puzzle of people, processes, and innovation.
We sat down with Tom for a “Day in the Life” interview to peel back the curtain on the vital yet often unseen work of pathology leadership.
What does an average day look like for you?
“The interesting thing is that no two days are the same,” Tom begins, immediately dispelling any notion of a routine desk job. His morning, however, always starts with two constants: a crucial cup of proper coffee (“I can’t drink instant”) and the daily team huddle.
“The first thing we do is review what’s happened overnight and plan for the day ahead, highlighting any issues,” he explains. This collaborative start sets the tone for a role that is fundamentally about connection and flow.
From there, his day becomes a balancing act. It’s a mix of chairing meetings, representing the department in trust-wide forums, and tackling the constant stream of emails. A significant part of his focus is on forward-looking projects, like the recent implementation of new analysers and the ongoing rollout of an automated mass spec system.
“A big part of it is looking at how we develop chemistry going forward,” he says. “We work to unblock obstacles as they come up.” This involves close collaboration with other leads, general managers, and site teams to ensure standardisation across SWLP’s five laboratories, a task he admits “can be quite difficult, but is essential.”
His day is also peppered with troubleshooting; staff popping in with a query about a complex result or a test that isn’t working. He rounds it out by reviewing laboratory performance metrics, investigating incidents, and always asking, “What can we do better?”
What is your favourite thing about the job?
When asked about his favourite aspect, Tom’s answer shifts from processes to people. “My hope is to try and provide an environment staff like to work in,” he states, revealing a core tenet of his leadership philosophy.
He actively reflects on his own time as a Biomedical Scientist (BMS) on the bench. “I think of what didn’t I like? What could I improve? And how can I make that happen for staff now?” This empathy drives his approach to problem-solving, which he sees as inherently collaborative.
“I like bouncing ideas around with people,” he says. “I try to think of everything as: there isn’t a problem, there’s only a solution we haven’t found yet.” He believes most errors stem from flawed processes, not people, and his mission is to design labs and workflows that make it easy for staff to do their jobs right.
Ultimately, he finds deep satisfaction in innovation. “We’re quite lucky at SWLP to have an executive team that believes in developing our service. It’s about pushing the boundaries, bringing more interesting work in-house, and making the work more engaging for our scientists and support staff.”
Is there a moment you will always remember?
For a career filled with milestones, Tom’s most memorable moment is a recent one: the successful go-live day for a major new suite of Beckman analysers.
“It was a really difficult transition,” he recalls, noting the project was delayed and under significant pressure. “That day itself went well. It was a big sense of relief and achievement that we, as a team, managed to get it done.”
He describes it as a career highlight at SWLP, precisely because of the immense effort required. “Projects can be really hard to complete. You have to adapt constantly and the whole plan can change in a day. To get that over the line, to see all the hard work was worth it… that’s a great sense of achievement.”
How did you get into pathology?
Tom’s path into pathology is a story of initial trepidation turned into lifelong passion. He entered via a sandwich degree, with a placement year in the chemistry laboratory at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.
“Chemistry was always my favourite discipline, but it was the one I had the worst marks in,” he confesses with a laugh. “I was quite nervous about it.” That anxiety quickly vanished. “From day one, I absolutely loved it.”
He credits “fantastic senior BMSs and mentors” with opening his eyes to laboratory medicine. The strong training programme allowed him to complete his registration portfolio during his placement, setting him on a fast track. They kept him on as bank staff while he finished his degree, and he secured a permanent role upon graduating.
Now, nearly 20 years into his career, the foundation of that first placement still defines him. “The bench is my safe space,” he admits. “If I ever get really stressed, the place I want to go is to do something on the bench. I’m a scientist ultimately.”
He concludes with a reflection on the quiet impact of his profession: “We’re hidden in pathology, people don’t see us. And that’s fine. But it’s nice that you actually do make a real difference to patients’ lives.”