Chair: Dr John Shone
This group was established in 2021, and it aims to
- Embed molecular diagnostics as vital tools for clinical decision making, patient safety, infection prevention and control and public health in all Health Boards (HBs).
- Working at a HB level, or as a distributed service model where appropriate, expand the repertoire of molecular diagnostic tests offered by HBs to ensure equity of care for patients across Scotland.
- Provide expert opinion on laboratory based molecular diagnostics in Bacteriology, Virology, Parasitology and Mycology.
- Working with colleagues from relevant groups, provide expert opinion on rapid / point of care / near patient molecular diagnostics.
- Gather intelligence on the nature of laboratory requests that are referred to reference laboratories out with NHSS, and work towards repatriating such tests where possible.
- Collate and monitor guidelines for the implementation of molecular diagnostics.
- Audit the clinical and laboratory impact of molecular diagnostics; support local HBs and NHSS in building business cases for the implementation of new molecular tests/work-streams.
It is timely to start building on the legacy of significant investment in molecular (PCR) diagnostics in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in significant molecular testing capacity in all NHS Health Boards’ Microbiology & Virology Departments.