Dr Martin Myers MBE
Location: Lancashire | Lancashire
Lancashire Creative Commonwealth Association Director for Healthcare Science
Dr Martin Myers MBE
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.
In addition, Dr Myers is the Senior Clinical Advisor 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 also the Chair of the MHRA IVD Expert Advisory Group.
Dr Myers was appointed MBE for services to Healthcare Science and received the NHS Lifetime Achievement Award for services to Healthcare Science and Laboratory Medicine. He has been named in two international Power Lists for being frontline and shaping the health sector. He was also awarded the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine Foundation Lecture Award for increasing Access and Equity in Laboratory Diagnostics.
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, rather than remote from the patient.
Using the Laboratory Anywhere concept Dr Myers has taken diagnostics directly to the hard-to-reach communities to avoid diagnostic overshadowing. He is a Trustee of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing charity where his “Blood Drop” team of Healthcare Scientists deliver pop-up diagnostic clinics in the community. Dr Myers is also a Member of the Creative Communities Group, raising awareness and supporting active citizenship in Society.
As part of the COVID-19 response, Dr Myers sat on several regional and national groups for SARS-CoV-2 testing and advised NHS Supplies on gas analyser placement in the Acute and Nightingale sectors. He introduced many laboratory-based tests to improve diagnostic support for patients with COVID-19 as well as 24/7 Rapid SARS-CoV-2 testing (COVID-Net) for patients being admitted. 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.
