About the Trust
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) serves a population of approximately 800,000 people across two major hospital sites in Ipswich and Colchester, delivering both acute and community healthcare services.
Formed in July 2018, ESNEFT is the largest NHS organisation in the region. Pathology services are delivered in-house across four core disciplines:
- Haematology and Blood Transfusion
- Histopathology
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
Each service operates under dedicated clinical and technical leadership across both hospital sites.
Background and Challenges
Prior to the transition from ESR Medical Ltd to EMED, pathology logistics at ESNEFT had not been implemented at scale within a large acute Trust. Developing a consistent, Trust-wide approach that effectively supported both Acute and Primary Care settings presented a significant challenge. The service operated with limited technology, minimal data visibility and no unified tracking capability, which impacted efficiency, governance and patient experience.
At the time, the service was small, largely manual and lacked a formal identity. Courier activity was outsourced to CitySprint, who utilised self-employed drivers with no dedicated pathology expertise, and there was no end-to-end tracking or reporting capability. This resulted in frequent sample losses, limited visibility and significant time spent locating missing specimens, directly impacting patient outcomes and staff efficiency.
Data analysis across inpatient, outpatient and DNA trends highlighted the need for change. Key requirements were identified, including:
- The introduction of barcoded, single-use transport bags for full traceability
- The ability to trace samples back to individual GP practices
- Improved turnaround times and a reduction in samples deemed unfit for analysis
- Introduction of regular KPI reporting and performance reviews
These findings clearly demonstrated the need for a modern, technology-led solution to improve reliability, efficiency and patient safety across the pathology pathway.
Turnaround times within the laboratory, particularly for samples deemed too old for analysis, required significant improvement and standardisation across Primary Care.
These issues resulted in:
- Patients needing to be re-bled due to expired samples
- Delays to pathology consumables replenishment, exacerbated by increased consumption and wastage
- Unnecessary use of phlebotomy appointments and longer waiting times
- Additional workload for Biomedical Scientists investigating abnormal results
- Increased patient anxiety, particularly where elevated potassium levels triggered NHS 111 or out-of-hours follow-up and potential emergency attendance
- An overall negative impact on reputation across multiple Integrated Care Boards
The Vision
When ESNEFT partnered with EMED, the aim was to fundamentally transform the way pathology logistics were delivered across the Trust. The focus was on moving away from fragmented, manual processes and introducing a fully integrated, technology-driven service that could support both Acute and Primary Care settings at scale.
Central to this vision was the introduction of an end-to-end tracking solution that would provide full visibility of every sample throughout its journey – from collection through to laboratory receipt. This would not only improve accountability but also remove uncertainty, reduce delays and eliminate lost samples.
To support this transformation, the Trust also sought to introduce meaningful data and performance insight. Real-time KPI reporting and dashboards would allow teams to understand activity levels, monitor turnaround times and proactively manage workloads. This visibility would enable laboratories to better prepare for demand, align staffing levels appropriately and improve overall service resilience.
Ultimately, the vision was to deliver a service that was safer, more efficient and more patient-focused, while also supporting staff with the tools and insight they needed to perform at their best.
Key Objectives
- Implementing an end-to-end, technology-led tracking solution
- Providing full visibility of samples across the entire pathway
- Introducing KPI reporting and real-time performance dashboards
- Enabling better workload planning and resource allocation
- Eliminating lost samples and reducing rework
- Improving patient experience and clinical outcomes
- Creating a more efficient, supported and engaged workforce
Impact and Outcomes
The introduction of EMED's specialist pathology logistics service, supported by Bar Code Data's specimen tracking platform, Tracit360, delivered measurable improvements across operational performance, compliance and patient experience.
By working with a courier provider that truly understands the complexities of pathology, ESNEFT was able to address long-standing inefficiencies and significantly reduce the number of samples failing due to age or handling issues.
A key element of this success was the implementation of EMED's Pick and Pack service, designed specifically around NHS pathology requirements. This ensured that samples, consumables and transport processes were aligned to clinical standards and operational best practice, driving improvements across the entire pathway.
Enhanced Operational Performance
- Significant reduction in "too old for analysis" sample failures
- Improved turnaround times for sample delivery
- Greater visibility of sample movement and stock levels
- Reduced time spent locating or investigating missing samples
Improved Compliance and Quality Assurance
- Full compliance with UKAS, DGA and UN3373 regulations
- End-to-end traceability supporting audit readiness
- Batch and LOT tracking available when required
- Temperature-controlled transport with further enhancements planned
Cost and Efficiency Benefits
- Reduced re-testing and associated costs
- Lower consumable waste through improved stock management
- Increased efficiency through better route planning and logistics control
- Data-led insights enabling more informed operational decisions
Stronger Data and Performance Insight
- KPI dashboards providing real-time visibility
- Monthly reporting on product usage and performance trends
- Improved forecasting and workload planning within laboratories
Enhanced Patient Safety and Experience
- Faster, more reliable handling of samples
- Reduced need for repeat blood tests
- Less patient anxiety caused by delayed or missing results
- Improved confidence in the pathology pathway
Collaborative Working and Cultural Change
- Stronger engagement between laboratory teams and logistics staff
- Increased awareness of the importance of turnaround times
- Better communication across stakeholders
- A shared commitment to continuous improvement and innovation
Overall, the partnership between ESNEFT, EMED and Bar Code Data has delivered a modern, data-driven pathology logistics service that not only improves efficiency and compliance, but also directly enhances patient outcomes.
The Technology Solution: Tracit360 End-to-End Tracking
Working in partnership with Bar Code Data, EMED implemented a fully bespoke, end-to-end tracking solution powered by the Tracit360 platform.
Designed specifically for healthcare environments, Tracit360 provides complete visibility of pathology samples from the point of collection at GP practices, clinics and hospital locations through to receipt in the pathology laboratory, including every stage in between.
Tracit360 is a secure, cloud-based, intelligent asset-tracking platform that delivers a compliant, easy-to-use solution for managing specimens throughout their entire lifecycle.
To further enhance accuracy and efficiency, Tracit360 supports RFID technology, enabling samples to be tracked without the need for manual barcode scanning. This reduces the potential for human error, accelerates workflows and increases overall operational efficiency.
The solution is further enhanced through integration with the Zebra ZS300 sensor, fully embedded within the Tracit360 platform. This enables continuous, live monitoring of temperature and transit conditions, ensuring compliance with UKAS standards and supporting the safe transportation of pathology samples.
Every interaction within the system is automatically time and date-stamped, creating a complete audit trail that supports governance, traceability and historic reporting, essential for both compliance and quality assurance.
To support full traceability and alignment with NHS best practice, Bar Code Data also supplies sequentially numbered transport bags, each uniquely linked within the Tracit360 database. These bags are fully GS1 compliant and aligned with Scan4Safety recommendations.
Each EMED driver is equipped with mobile technology that provides real-time visibility of:
- Collection volumes
- Sample types
- Location and route progress
- Temperature conditions for sensitive specimens
Customer Testimonials
Shelley Garry, Pathology Business Unit Manager, ESNEFT
Gary Brown, Head of Medical Courier Services, EMED
Mike Jackson, Managing Director, Bar Code Data Ltd
Key Service and Statistics
- 39 Drivers
- 24 Routes
- 192,882 Specimen Bags Collected in 2025
- SLA of 99.9% Delivered On Time
To find out more about Tracit360 or to request a free demo please contact our team.