Formed in 2025, The British Society for Haematology (BSH) Digital Haematology Taskforce sits under the Laboratory Special Interest Group (SIG). The taskforce comprises BSH members who are a mix of medics and scientists.
The group will focus on furthering the advancement and uptake of Digital Haematology. They will aim to ascertain and record the use of digital pathology in haematology in the UK, including benefits, drawbacks and hurdles of implementation, as well as appraise the evidence available on digital pathology including Artificial Intelligence. We want to describe and evaluate current available technologies and disseminate this information to the community. This will culminate in the development of new guidelines together with expanding the use of digital pathology in education.
Taskforce committee
Dr Guy Hannah (Interim Co-lead)
Consultant haematologist and haemato-pathologist
South East Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (SEHMDS)
King’s College Hospital
Dr Timothy Farren (Interim Co-lead)
Head of Immunophenotyping and Scientific Lead for SIHMDS
NHS East and South East London Pathology Partnership / Barts Health NHS Trust
James Smith
Haematology Clinical Scientist
Swansea Bay UHB
Dr Jayne Parkes
Principal Clinical Scientist in Haematology
Black Country Pathology Services Network
Reginah Visser
Principal Clinical Scientist
North Bristol NHS Trust
Rui Leite
Principal Biomedical Scientist
Synnovis
Dr Sateesh Kumar Nagumantry MBBS, FRCP(Edin) FRCPath(Haematology)
Consultant Haematologist
North West Anglia Foundation Trust
PNH Physician, National PNH Service (Leeds)
Peterborough City Hospital
Sidhant Seth
Haematology Registrar
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Tara Maisel
Haematology Registrar
Royal London Hospital
SIHMDS and Education OOPT
Tony Carter
Clinical Scientist, Haemato-Oncology Service Lead
Merseyside and Cheshire Haemato-Oncology Service
Digital Haematology at the ASM
The Digital Haematology task force was introduced to the wider membership at the 2025 ASM held in Glasgow in April.
With a whistlestop tour of haematology diagnosis from 1590 to the future, Tim Farren's presentation at the Membership Stage explained the purpose of the new Digital Haematology task force: To review and develop the use of digital pathology (and AI) in haematology in the UK to advance the integration of cutting edge digital technology within haematology to improve diagnostic accuracy, efficiency and patient outcome.