Pathology lab hails new era for testing - NHS boss

The new facility is located on the Wessex Fields site next to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital

A state-of-the-art lab which was built to meet the growing demand of medical patients has officially opened.

Situated next to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, the new Dorset Pathology Hub cost £24m.

The facility will process more than 9 million tests per year.

University Hospitals Dorset's (UHD) chief operating officer described it as a "new era" for the local NHS.

Dr Katie Adie CBE DL, journalist and chancellor of Bournemouth University, unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion

Equipped with the latest technology, including Artificial Intelligence, about 200 hub staff will process samples from patients across the region.

It aimed to diagnose conditions in about 80% of people, the hospital trust said.

Molecular pathology was the first team to move into the building in November.

The facility is part of the One Dorset Pathology network, a partnership between Dorset County Hospital and University Hospitals Dorset.

Steve Hiorns, the patient whose blood was the first to be analysed at the hub, cut a ribbon to open the new building.

Mark Mould, UHD’s chief operating officer said: “This is a special day as we celebrate a new era for our local NHS and the patients we serve.

"...the hub improves diagnostics for patients, helping to meet the growing demand for specialist treatment, as well as providing development opportunities for staff," he added.