15 March 2021

The Royal College of Pathologists’ priorities for Laboratory Services in Scotland for the next Scottish government.

The Royal College of Pathologists has today launched its priorities for Scotland in the 2021 Scottish parliament elections which have been drawn up the College Scotland Regional Council.

The College hosts regional councils, comprising specialty members, for the devolved nations. These councils provide professional leadership in their country and contribute at a national level to the maintenance and development of laboratory services and the quality of care that patients receive.

In May the people of Scotland will elect their representatives to the Scottish parliament. A new government will take responsibility for a range of devolved areas, including health services.

Laboratory services in Scotland involve the work of a huge array of doctors and scientists who play a vital role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, with the majority of healthcare interactions involving lab tests in some way. Laboratory professionals undertake research, advancing medicine and devising new treatments, and have been crucial in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The College priorities for the next government focus on the following areas:

  • Learning from the pandemic
  • Investing in workforce for patients
  • IT and infrastructure for better patient care
  • Staff wellbeing

Dr Bernie Croal, Chair of the Scotland Regional Council, said: 

‘The COVID-19 pandemic has once again highlighted the importance of laboratory tests and laboratory professionals within the healthcare landscape. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is vital that such services are reinforced and supported to optimise healthcare recovery both for COVID-19 related illness and for the inevitable huge healthcare backlog created as a result of the pandemic. Ensuring we have appropriate staff, equipment and IT support to underpin laboratory services is vital.’

Download the Royal College of Pathologists' priorities for the Scottish parliament elections 2021