NI Health Trusts Upgrade Pathology Services with Advanced System
Two health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland have recently initiated the operation of a new laboratory information system as part of the area’s pathology transformation initiative.
The Clinisys WinPath platform has been deployed by both the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, marking a crucial step in the Core Laboratory Information Management System (Core LIMS) project.
Led by the Business Services Organisation (BSO), the Core LIMS project aims to have every pathology service in Northern Ireland adopt the LIMS to facilitate the modernization of services.
The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) took the lead, going live in early November with microbiology, blood sciences, and biochemistry, including newborn screening, haematology, and immunology. Subsequently, the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust followed suit in the same disciplines three days later.
The implementations were meticulously coordinated with other IT system ‘go lives’ within the encompass program, which seeks to establish a unified, digital care record for every patient in the region.
In the past, the Belfast trust utilised an older Clinisys LIMS, while the South Eastern trust relied on a ‘green screen’ IT system developed by the BSO roughly 40 years ago. Both entities have upgraded to the latest version of the Windows-based Clinisys WinPath system.
The overarching goal of the Core LIMS project is to consolidate the seven regional information applications used within pathology onto a single platform. This consolidation is anticipated to yield improvements in clinical care, risk mitigation, and the reduction of inequalities, while also providing support for broader organisational changes within HSCNI.
Karen Bailey, Chief Executive of the BSO, expressed optimism, stating: “Digital health solutions such as the Core LIMS implementation will benefit patients across Northern Ireland for decades to come, and it is a proud moment for the health and social care service here.”
Karin Jackson, Senior Responsible Officer for the Core LIMS project, highlighted the significance of the implementation, stating: “Implementing the Core LIMS WinPath solution is a significant achievement for our health services here. It will complement our regional pathology services and enhance care provision for all patients across Northern Ireland.”
