Collaboration Agreement

In 2023 all four Trusts that make up the Kent and Medway Pathology Network (KMPN) approved a Collaboration Agreement (CA), enabling the network to become a single pathology service. This transition has made significant progress since then.

Whilst pathology services still sit within their Trusts, with staff at laboratories still employed by either EKHUFT, MTW or NKPS (a combined pathology service formed between Medway and Dartford) senior pathology managers across the county are now managed by KMPN's Managing Director, Francesca Trundle and Clinical Director, Supriya Joshi. Plans to move all pathology staff across Kent and Medway under the management of KMPN are in the next phase of work which is not expected until 2027 at the earliest.

KMPN provides a single management team with unified objectives to deliver pathology services for each of the partner trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). It is hosted by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

By fully pooling resources and expertise under a single governance structure, KMPN can make decisions on the delivery of pathology services and future priorities jointly in a single forum, rather than having to ask all four trusts to agree separately. It can also access investment from NHS England that is only available to laboratories acting as networks. This will help to progress our digital transformation projects.

KMPN is one of over 20 similar networks across England who are all seeking to future proof pathology services in the face of rising demand and increasingly scarce resources.

Network maturity matrix

KMPN is aiming to become a 'thriving' network. Network maturity matrix tools were published in November 2021 for pathology networks. The tools identify seven domains that characterise a pathology network, and in turn they also describe five phases of maturity, from pre-emergent to thriving.

Benefits to patients and provider will be realised through transformative new ways of working, as pathology networks progress through maturity.

The tools provide a consistent framework to objectively assess network maturity. As a network develop through implementation, a description of indicative deliverables is offered in each matrix for the domain. 

As such the matrix will:

  • provide networks a benchmarking and self-assessment tool to assess their current position
  • highlight key areas and topics for consideration at each stage of network development
  • support decision making within the network.

Graphic showing the five stages of pathology network maturity

The image above shows the five stages of pathology network maturity. The KMPN are in the developing stage, which is described as 'joint-working across network with implementation of network-level plan underway.