Attain was commissioned by the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) to support the implementation and delivery of a Managed Service Contract (MSC) for pathology equipment, ensuring digital innovation and operational excellence across multiple NHS Trusts.

WYAAT and partner NHS Trusts (CHFT, MYTT & LTHT) required programme management expertise to coordinate the roll-out of an MSC, leveraging cutting-edge middleware systems for seamless integration and operational consistency. The key objectives included:

  • Establishing a unified approach to cyber requirements & IT infrastructure – aligning digital systems across Trusts to support cyber-secure, interoperable pathology operations.
  • Ensuring clarity in implementation timelines and risk mitigation.
  • Collaborating with Siemens, ensuring compliance, and managing dependencies with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).

What We did

  • Programme leadership and assurance - provided overarching leadership to the MSC Implementation Steering Group, offering guidance, assurance, and strategic support.

  • Digital integration and supplier management - coordinated between Siemens, LIMS provider (Clinisys), and NHS Trust teams to ensure digital alignment.

  • Conducted regular steering group meetings - addressed risks, resolved interdependencies, and tracked milestones.

  • Collaborative cyber security framework - worked closely with IT and cyber teams to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in Siemens’ (and third parties’) equipment and middleware software.

  • Developed robust reporting mechanisms - tracked implementation performance and compliance.

Outcomes

  • Successful equipment roll-out at CHFT - oversaw the deployment of Siemens' MSC equipment at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT), ensuring the equipment was fully operational and a temporary digital solution/IT infrastructure was in place, enabling improved diagnostic capabilities and service delivery.

  • Effective programme governance - delivered clear programme documentation and governance structures, ensuring risks and issues were proactively managed.

  • Enhanced digital resilience - supported a cyber-secure implementation by developing plans for key digital risks and ensuring supplier ownership.

  • Future-proofed service delivery - brokered agreements for IT solutions for QA and verification & validation, which will enable long-term optimisation and innovation within pathology services.