The manifesto has been produced for the Scottish parliamentary election on May 5 and follows similar documents produced for devolved elections in Northern Ireland and Wales.

In a letter to all Members of the Scottish Parliament, Scotland’s Westminster MPs and senior health leaders Dr Bernie Croal, chair of the Scotland Regional Council said: ‘If implemented the four policies we are putting forward would improve patient care and drive financial efficiencies across the NHS

‘We hope that everybody concerned with healthcare in Scotland can get behind our calls to:

• Ensure patients get the right laboratory tests at the right time

• Deliver the Shared Services agenda for laboratory medicine across all health boards

• Train, recruit and retain the right workforce

• Ensure that the expansion of the use of point of care testing is both safe and clinically justified.’

It is the first time the College has engaged directly in this way with politicians in the devolved countries and it is hoped that this will help deliver positive changes in the way healthcare is delivered across the UK.