Recommendation 12: Paediatric and perinatal pathologists
From Thirlwall Inquiry Final Report, published 15 September 2026.
Recommendation
DHSC and NHS England must ensure that, by June 2033, there are 37 doctors in training
posts as paediatric and perinatal pathologists, in line with the workforce requirement set
out by the Royal College of Pathologists in the November 2025 Paediatric and Perinatal
Pathology Workforce Report. The incentive scheme should remain in place and funded
until at least 37 doctors are in training posts as paediatric and perinatal pathologists.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry asked health authorities to fund 37 paediatric and perinatal pathology training posts. In an oral statement in September 2026, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care stated that the government "will, of course, consider the entire report and set out a full response" (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). Neither the required training posts nor the continuation of the incentive scheme are mentioned in the sources (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). A full response from the department remains to be set out (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
No formal government response published. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care's oral statement of 15 September 2026, made on the day the Inquiry's report was published, names neither this recommendation nor its subject. It says the government "will, of course, consider the entire report and set out a full response". No later government response to this recommendation was found in the sources searched on 28 September 2026.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Department of Health and Social Care or NHS England has been found in the sources searched (last checked 2 October 2026). This is separate from the response above.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Department of Health and Social Care
Response