Medical scientists to highlight need for investment in hospital laboratories at biennial conference this weekend
The development of health regions has the potential to hamper investment in a national plan for medical laboratory services, a conference will hear this weekend.
Chairperson of the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association (MLSA) Emer Hennessy will call for the full resourcing of a HSE strategy for medical laboratories in public hospitals, warning that the delegation of authority to six regional heads may ‘dilute the national strategic intentions’ of the plan.
“Medical Scientists are calling for consistent progress to made centrally and at regional level to deliver the HSE Outline Strategic Plan for Laboratory Services 2026-2035,” Ms Hennessy said ahead of the ‘LabCon 26’ conference in Kilkenny which began on Friday.
“Medical Scientists are concerned that the creation of the six health regions, and delegation of authority and decision-making to the six Regional Executive Officers, has diminished the role of the HSE in coordinating implementation of the plan.
“We are concerned that this will dilute the national strategic intentions of the plan and that the setting up of the health regions is hampering investment in public hospital-based regional laboratory services. We need all six HSE regions to deliver regional investment and fully implement the plan.
“This includes improved laboratory facilities in all hospitals and the matching of resource allocation to the workload. We need to see recommendations on career progression implemented and no further extension of services without the recruitment of adequate CORU registered Medical Scientist staff.”
The MLSA is the trade union representing medical scientists, the scientific professionals who carry out critical diagnostic testing of patient samples. It represents more than 2,000 medical scientists employed in HSE, voluntary and private hospitals, as well as the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.
The union has been warning the HSE for many years about the need for improved career progression and work conditions, as well as the need to secure staffing levels to meet demand.
MLSA General Secretary Terry Casey highlighted the importance of acute hospital laboratories. “The priority of the HSE centrally is likely to be the development of the planned HSE Central Laboratory and national references services for Medical Sciences,” he said.
“This facility is important for the Irish health service, but it is public hospital laboratories that are the bread-and-butter services that keep acute hospitals and primary care services going on a 24-hour basis 365 days a year.
“Consistency of commitment and decision-making are now needed in all of the six HSE regions to develop hospital laboratory services in the health sector.”
The ‘LabCon 26’ conference is being held in partnership between the MLSA and Academy of Clinical Science and Laboratory Medicine (ACSLM). The two-day event includes panel discissions, scientific sessions, poster viewing and the MLSA AGM.
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