The Sussex Pathology Network has been recognised for its outstanding collaborative work, winning the Partnership Working Award at the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) Annual Awards.
The award celebrates the success of the Sussex Pathology Network, a partnership between East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and recognises the exceptional team work that has delivered one of the largest and most advanced digital histopathology programmes in England.
The award acknowledges the collective efforts of pathology teams, digital and IT colleagues, clinicians, operational teams and partners across the South East, who have worked together over several years to transform pathology services and improve patient care.
Through this collaboration, the network has established a shared regional digital pathology service supporting more than 1.2 million patients. The programme has strengthened resilience across organisations, improved collaboration between teams and enhanced the quality and timeliness of patient care.
The benefits are already being realised, with sustained improvements in cancer turnaround times and a strong foundation now in place for future innovation, including the potential use of artificial intelligence to support diagnostics.
The award highlights the impact of partnership working in modern healthcare and reflects the commitment of the Trust to delivering innovative, resilient and high-quality pathology services for patients across East Sussex.