NPW Logo 2025 v1
July 2025
National Pathology Week (NPW) is our annual celebration of pathology, when we highlight the important contribution pathologists make to healthcare. Working in partnership with pathologists and laboratory scientists, our programme of events and activities aims to engage people of all ages, and improve public awareness and understanding of how pathologists and scientists diagnose disease.
We welcome pathology-related events and activities of all sizes, and various formats (including online!), in our nationwide programme – we’ve got lots of ideas and free resources to help with planning and delivering great activities.
NPW 2025 will run from 3–9 November. The theme for 2025 is 'Pathology Solutions'. We hope this theme inspires exciting events and discussions around innovation and new ideas in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
The RCPath will be delivering a high-profile event at the House of Commons on 4 November. Dr Simon Opher MP, is kindly sponsoring this important event, which will also bear the title ‘Pathology Solutions’. The event will offer a unique opportunity to communicate to parliamentarians and other key stakeholders how pathology services are working at the forefront of our health system, and how pivotal they will be to the successful implementation of the NHS 10-year health plan. The event is invitation only, please contact Demelza Barker if you have any questions.
The RCPath’s IPD virtual conference on 5 November will celebrate the vital contributions of pathology professionals around the world. This year’s theme, ‘The global pathology workforce’, highlights the dedication and expertise of pathologists and laboratory scientists who are at the heart of healthcare systems across the world. Jim Campbell, Director of the Health Workforce Department at the World Health Organization (WHO), will open the event taking part in a conversation with Professor Peter Johnston, Vice President for Workforce and Corporate Engagement. Find out more and book your place.
The College is also working in partnership with the Pathology Alliance to deliver an engaging online event called ‘Pathology Solutions: how tests help patients’ on 5 November at 6pm GMT. Speakers working in a variety of pathology specialties will present short, snappy talks on different pathology tests, from common tests such as Full Blood Count to tests that are less well known such as multiplex PCR tests for respiratory infections. This Zoom-based event will be chaired by Dr Suzy Lishman CBE and is open to all but might be of particular interest to undergraduates and upper secondary school students. Bookings will open soon here.
The College is running an online pathology quiz for UK and international undergraduates studying relevant degrees on 12 November at 2pm GMT. The event is being run as a collaboration between the College’s public engagement and international teams in the week after National Pathology Week and International Pathology Day. Bookings will open soon here.
Interested in hosting your own event for NPW 2025? Here are some ideas of activities you can run:
July 2025
July 2025
July 2025
We've teamed up with STEM Learning to provide our members with the opporutnity of signing up to the national STEM Ambassador scheme. More information is available in STEM Learning's handbook and leaflet provided below and on our Pathology Ambassadors page.
National Pathology Week (NPW) 2024 ran from 4–10 November. Our theme for 2024 was 'Pathology is Vital'.
We delivered NPW in collaboration with other members of the Pathology Alliance – the organisations who are part of the Alliance are listed below.
NPW 2023 ran from 19–25 June. Our theme for 2023 was 'Pathologists and Patients'.
We highlighted the essential work pathologists and clinical scientists do to help patients and supported members and their teams to do the same around the UK.
College-led activities:
NPW 2022 ran from 20–26 June. The theme was 'Pathology: past, present and future'.
We moved the celebrations from November to June as part of the College's Diamond Jubilee.
College-led activities: