POCT National Networking Forum 2025

Dr Myers is a consultant Clinical Biochemist, and Laboratory Director of Clinical Biochemistry at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Preston, UK. Whilst at Preston Dr Myers has introduced a continuous program of Pathology redesign, improving the clinical and operational effectiveness and productivity of pathology. During this time, he was the Associate Divisional Medical Director of Pathology for 4 years, Clinical Director of Pathology for 14 years, Lead Scientist for over 10 years; he is also the Clinical Lead for Point of Care Testing. 

Dr Myers is the Co-Clinical Lead for the NHSE Pathology Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme, which has undertaken an evidenced-based review of Pathology services in England in order to improve quality and reduce unwarranted variation.  The National Report was launched in 2022 and the GIRFT Clinical Team is now working on implementing the recommendations.  Dr Myers is a member of the National New Hospital Programme Clinical Workstream Steering Group representing Laboratory and Point of Care Testing in Pathology.  Dr Myers is also the Chair of the MHRA IVD Expert Advisory Group.

His interests include the use of automation, point of care testing and informatics in improving the quality of the diagnostic process and redesigning patient-focussed pathology delivery. He introduced the “Laboratory Anywhere” concept to ensure that diagnostics are delivered in a variety of locations both inside and outside the hospital ensuring that diagnostics are embedded in the patient pathway. He introduced a 24/7 Rapid SARS-CoV-2 testing (COVID-Net) for patients which then expanded to an Acute Respiratory Infection POCT service. This has now been expanded for Rapid multiplex GI and respiratory pathogens as well as Lab-in-Box technology to support Same Day Emergency Care, Virtual Wards, Hospitals at Home and Community Diagnostic Centres.

Katie Moss is the Greater Manchester Diagnostic Network Programme Director with over 24 years’ experience of working within various NHS diagnostic and senior management roles and is now responsible for leading and directing the portfolio of the Greater Manchester Diagnostic Network.

After graduating with a 2:1 BSc in Biomedical Science, Katie was appointed as an NHS Trainee Biomedical Scientist where she worked and specialised in Microbiology for over 14 years.  In that time, Katie went onto to complete a master’s in biomedical science and management Training Certificate before deciding upon a change of career.  Katie went on to successfully undertake roles within Clinical Audit, Transformation and Programme Management whilst developing her educational achievements with the completion of various programme management and leadership qualifications.

Katie is now an influential and highly recognised member of the NHS diagnostic community who has proven experience of delivering complex transformation programmes, establishing multi stakeholder networks including the establishment of both the Greater Manchester Imaging and Pathology Networks and developing short- and long-term strategic business models. 

Katie has a strong passion for diagnostic innovation and improving patient care through the adoption of new technologies and out of hospital diagnostics which support faster, real-time diagnosis and enable patients to have a greater ability to manage their own health and wellbeing.

Katie is the current chair of the Northwest Point of Care Strategy Group and is also responsible for leading the establishment of the Greater Manchester Physiological Sciences Network.

Outside of work, Katie is a mum to one, wife to one and dog parent to two bonkers spaniels.  She often spends her down time, walking the dogs, playing netball and being a real foodie, she loves to eat out and experience different cuisine.

Annette Thomas is a Consultant Clinical Biochemist at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board with over 40 years’ experience in Laboratory Medicine, over 20 years of which has been as Director of Weqas, a well-respected International EQA provider and Reference Measurement Laboratory.

Annette is also the National Point of Care (POCT) Clinical lead for Wales, a seconded position to the Wales NHS Executive responsible for delivering the strategy plan for POCT. She represents POCT on Welsh Government advisory Committees and chairs the National POCT Strategic Board and the POCT Delivery Group.

She is a member of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Task Force on Global Lab Quality and past chair of the IFCC Committee on Analytical Quality.

She has previously held posts on the Executive Board of the European Committee for External Quality Assurance Programmes in Laboratory Medicine (EQALM), chair of the All Wales Clinical Biochemistry Audit Group and chair of the National Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (ACB) Audit Committee in the UK.

In 2019 she received the EQALM Adam Uldall Award for her contribution to promoting quality in laboratory medicine and the Healthcare Science Lifetime Achievement award from the Welsh Government.

Jayne first qualified in November 2000 as Haematology MLSO and started her Point of Care journey with INR’s in the community. Today she is the Point of Care manager for Diagnostic Laboratories at NHS Tayside on the east coast of Scotland, a post she has held since July 2020. Her remit is to provide laboratory oversight and mitigate risk within POC schemes ensuring that results can be used confidently in effective and efficient patient management pathways. This includes schemes both within hospital environments and the community, encompassing laboratory diagnostic specialities of Haematology, Biochemistry and Virology.

She co-founded POCT – FOR – SCOT LTD which is a website / Instagram / Face book community to share learning, provide support and push for regulation and strategic developments of point of care.  

Jayne is an advocate for ensuring Point of Care is used in the correct environment with innovative and effective patient management pathways that allow the right result to be used for positive patient gain. She champion’s this throughout her trust and the wider Scottish network.

Jayne currently sits of the specialist advisory panel for point of care at the IBMS and is part of a short life working group in Scotland advocating for point of care with strong policies and strategic goals to support the frail infrastructure of a NHS requiring innovation to survive the future.

After completing a PhD in Diabetes in The Queen’s University of Belfast, Jenny embarked on a career as a Clinical Scientist in Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. She was the Principal Clinical Scientist in the Regional Toxicology Laboratory from 2013-2021, before taking up her current position as a Consultant Clinical Scientist in Biochemistry and POCT in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. Jenny is the current Chair of the Northern Ireland POCT Specialty Forum. She is also the STP training officer for Biochemistry in Northern Ireland, a member of the RCPath NI Council, and an associate editor for Labmed News. 

Katy has been working in the NHS and its services for 20 years in Clinical Biochemistry and Point of Care Testing (POCT). Currently employed as the Consultant Specialty lead for POCT for Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services, the service covers 5 NHS Trusts, with 6 acute medical sites and multiple community services. The service also provides a dedicated ISO accredited POCT EQA scheme, Qpoint of which Katy is the Clinical Director. At the end of 2020 Katy was seconded to the Department of Health and Social Care, then later UKHSA, Operational Supplies team as the Point of care workflow programme lead, with the primary aim of providing technical and scientific leadership in the deployment of rapid covid testing into NHS Emergency departments. In January 2024 Katy was made Chief Healthcare Scientist for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust with responsibility for executive representation of Healthcare science services at the Trust and into the ICS. 

Katy has worked alongside the national NHS England personalized care team to support the production of POCT guidance for Virtual ward and Hospital at Home services. The BSPS service provides Labkit to its partner Trusts and community Trusts, a roaming bag of POCT kit that can be used in multiple clinical services to support POCT testing for rapid decision making.

Lead BMS in POC and Rapid Testing since 2015

Technical Lead for Point of care for N3 region.

Member of the specialist panel for POCT for the IBMS.

Starting In the Microbiology laboratory in1996 as an MLA, Robert worked through the trainee route and started as a BMS in 2002. As an experienced member of staff who proactively involved himself in the modernisation of the department, Robert holds a great deal of knowledge both technical and clinical with regards to the equipment in use within the laboratory and has used this to both troubleshoot issues and train members of staff.

Robert took the role of Point of care coordinator in 2015. In 2019 The Rapid team was brought in alongside the POC service. Robert is part of a well-established friendly team, working within a modern, well equipped and connected POC team at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Sharman is a Consultant Clinical Scientist and Clinical POCT Lead at the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. She is also Clinical Chair of the Greater Manchester POCT subgroup contributing towards developing the POCT strategy for the network and a member of the North West POCT group.

Sharman worked at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in North Wales, before joining the team at Stepping Hill Hospital in March 2021. Prior to this Sharman worked in the North West Region at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Willink Unit after completing training at Hope Hospital in Salford.

Sharman was Chair of the then ACB (Association of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine) Wales region from 2019 to 2021 and was previously Secretary of the region from 2015. She was also Chair of the All Wales Clinical Biochemistry audit group and North Wales Clinical Biochemist Audit Lead. 

Her main interests include Point of Care Testing (POCT), in particular the development of POCT services closer to home and supporting antimicrobial stewardship. Her FRCPath dissertation involved development of a rural community POCT service. Recently she has been involved in setting up the North West and Greater Manchester Acute Respiratory Infection Hub, POCT pilot and POCT Pathology network group evaluation of genetic POCT with the Genedrive Analyser. 

Sharman has also maintained a keen interest in R&D throughout her career, initially in endocrinology at Hope Hospital in Salford. She represented Pathology on the Health Board Research and innovation committee, being Principal Investigator on a number of studies including for Covid-19 testing. Currently she is Pathology R&I Lead at Stockport FT.