South West London Pathology’s (SWLP) Cellular Pathology department has achieved a significant and sustained improvement in turnaround times for suspected cancer histopathology samples, now consistently meeting a key national NHS target.
The NHS England target requires 70% of cancer samples to be reported within 10 days. In early 2024, SWLP’s performance stood at approximately 50%, reflecting wider national challenges but below both the target and local sector performance, despite handling higher volumes and more complex cases.
A dedicated improvement programme was launched to address the root causes. Fortnightly reviews and a detailed action plan identified critical issues: staffing vacancies, reliance on locums, and equipment bottlenecks. In response, the operational team focused on recruitment, successfully converting locum roles into substantive posts and implementing a ‘grow your own’ strategy to develop existing staff. Additional biomedical scientists were also recruited with support from the Cancer Alliance.
Concurrently, the clinical team increased reporting capacity through incremental consultant appointments and enhanced training for biomedical scientists. Investments in two new cut-up stations and additional staining capability boosted laboratory processing capacity by more than a third.
The results have been transformative. Performance rose from 48% in July 2024 to 72% by June 2025. Most significantly, the department has consistently met or exceeded the 70% target every month since February 2025, an achievement not reached in the previous four years.
Managing Director Simon Brewer said:
“The recovery now makes the sector the second highest performing in England. The comprehensive recovery plan was created and developed incorporating workforce, new and extended roles, new technology and workflows. The sustained improvement is testimony to the staff dedication and commitment to improved patient experience.”
This remarkable turnaround underscores the power of collaboration between clinical and operational teams. The commitment of the entire Cellular Pathology staff has directly contributed to faster diagnoses and improved care for hundreds of patients across south west London.