Between February and March 2025, the College launched its new workforce census. In total, 9539 individuals were invited to participate, including members, registered trainees and candidates working in the UK.  

The overall response rate was 31%. This response has provided the College with our richest data set to date. It allows the College to highlight, with evidence, the growing challenges facing the pathology workforce and pathology services.  

This first spotlight, with a focus on response rate, working patterns, retirements and sustainability of pathology services, is the first in a commencing series that build towards our final census report, due later this year.   

Key findings from spotlight one include: 

• 47% of pathologists are aged 50 and over, suggesting a potential retirement cliff edge within the next decade.  

• 60% of UK-wide consultants say that in a typical week they work beyond the number of hours stated in their contract. 

• 78% of pathologists do not believe current staffing levels are adequate to ensure long-term stability of pathology services and to meet growing demand. 

You can read the full spotlight here: 

What’s next? 

The next spotlight is set to be published in August 2025 and will focus on the morale and wellbeing of the pathology workforce.  

The findings from these spotlights and wider census analysis will be used to advocate for the pathology workforce when communicating with key stakeholders and government officials. We will also utilise this robust data to support our specialty specific publications and responding to  calls for evidence. Census data has been utilised for our response to the NSHE Medical Training Review and will be used in the upcoming response to the NHSE 10 Year Health Plan.