Our approach is to provide organisations with an interface between operational delivery and strategic reform of laboratory medicine.

Brickbone Consulting provides a comprehensive range of services aimed at supporting organisations to implement national guidelines and adopt the principles of the Lord Carter Review of UK Pathology Services. We have experience at local and national levels and have an international presence with several leading laboratory and clinic groups.

The underpinning principle behind the pathology modernisation agenda is the development of managed pathology networks. A successful change programme needs to be underpinned by robust strategic planning with the appropriate level of engaged and consultation with key stakeholders.

We have a track record in taking NHS and commercial organisations through rationalisation programmes and building network infrastructures, including HR, IT, logistics, finance structures and business development.

Strategic Health Authorities have been tasked with making savings of £50 million year-on-year from 2011. All NHS Trusts and PCTs will need to take a swift strategic position to deliver these targets whilst maintaining high quality clinical services. Our consultancy services work across organisations to guide strategic decision making, implementation planning and delivery.

In the absence of a national tariff commissioners and provider organisations will need to take a pragmatic approach to managing pathology transactions in order to reduce costs and manage demand. We understanding costing and identify savings through restructuring, redesign and smart procurement.

From LIMS installations and interfacing to Lab-Lab links and GP order-comms, we have extensive experience in connectivity for pathology services. With the rollout EPR programmes and growth of cross-boundary commissioning, the IT infrastructure needs to be fit-for-purpose as a fully interfaced platform linking laboratory result to patient record, demographics and billing.

Compliance with MHRA regulations and the stringency of the new CPA standards are increasing the quality management workload of laboratories and the wider hospital.

We can provide:

	Review of systems and processes
	Advice on the management of Point-of-Care Testing (POCT)
	Training programmes
	Vertical & Horizontal Audits
	Introduction of corporate and local quality systems and online document management technologies
	Laboratory and hospital-wide action plans on complying Blood Regulations and MHRA requirements

Through our global assignments clients we have also worked with Joint Clinical (JCI) and College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation bodies.