A single pathology service for mid and south Essex is confirmed from October 2026

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has signed a 15-year contract with SYNLAB, one of UK’s leading laboratory diagnostics providers, for the delivery of a unified pathology service for mid and south Essex.

Commencing in October 2026, this contract brings together the pathology services that support GP practices, clinicians across the Trust’s Basildon, Broomfield and Southend hospitals, and a patient population of 1.2 million. It includes blood, tissue and other sample testing, as well as phlebotomy clinics for mid and south Essex.

Together with the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, SYNLAB will provide a ‘hub and spoke’ pathology services model which focuses routine and specialist testing in high-capacity ‘hub’ laboratories, with modernised laboratories on each hospital site (the ‘spokes’) to support emergency and inpatient care.

This is a tried and tested, clinically led model that will improve testing turnaround times, free up valuable NHS hospital estate for other patient services and create opportunities for staff development, training and innovation. It will future proof the service and ensure we are able to meet the needs of the area’s growing population.

In addition to heavily investing in premises, technology and state of the art laboratory equipment, SYNLAB has also committed to ensuring these facilities and staffing remain based within mid and south Essex.

This announcement is the final stage of an intensive procurement process and follows extensive engagement with patients, staff, unions and healthcare partners by the Trust. The two pathology providers currently serving mid and south Essex, including Pathology First for south Essex and the Trust’s in-house service for mid Essex, will remain in place until the commencement of this new contract in October 2026.

There have been months of clinical engagement with staff across pathology, GPs and patient representatives to put a service together that meets the needs of our clinical teams and that of our patients. We see this as a positive step forward in what has been a long and carefully considered procurement process. The national approval of this pathology contract means we can now move forward in providing a single service.

Dr Peter Davis, Consultant Histopathologist and Clinical Director for Pathology at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

This marks a new and improved pathology journey for our patients, staff and local community. Having one provider for the whole of mid and south Essex will make delivery of pathology services more efficient and smoother. SYNLAB will invest in the very latest technology and equipment that will speed up access to results and focus on a digital first approach, which is very much in line with the Trust’s strategy. There will be further investment in improving laboratories, providing modern facilities that staff feel proud to work in. We can now begin to make the arrangements to transfer to the new provider in Autumn 2026.

Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

We are very proud to have such an integral role in shaping the future of pathology services in mid and south Essex. We know how vital fast, accurate diagnostics are to patient care, and we are committed to working closely with the Trust to deliver a high-quality, reliable service.

Having served south Essex for the past 10 years, we understand the needs of, and have existing ties with, the area. The service will continue to be clinically led by the Trust, who can count on our experience and investment in modern facilities, the latest technology, and, most importantly, our people. We want to create a service that is fit for the future and gives staff the tools and environment to do what they do best — making a positive difference to people’s lives, health and wellbeing.

Mark Dollar, CEO of SYNLAB UK & Ireland

_{Feature image credit: Andrew Hendry}