We protect the people of NSW by accurate, high quality, consistent pathology testing to diagnose, manage and respond to infectious diseases and public health risk.
Service overview
Public Health Pathology delivers expert clinical services for matters including:
disease and outbreak detection
coordination of laboratory testing of notifiable diseases
planning and responding to emerging diseases, including pandemics
public health research and education.
Collaboration between our expert teams of pathologists, scientists, technicians, ICT experts, logistics, supply and pathology collection staff, delivers a coordinated response to notifiable disease detection and management.
Pathology research, innovation and agility ensure timely responses that predict and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
As a statewide pathology service, we’re committed to responding to the evolving needs of NSW citizens, communities and the health system.
Pathological diagnosis of infectious diseases and surveillance
We work with the NSW Ministry of Health, Public Health, and other state and federal organisations to manage coordinated testing of infectious diseases, outbreaks and pandemics, including:
respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and influenza
Tuberculosis
Meningococcus
Hepatitis A, B, C
Japanese encephalitis virus
Monkeypox
Legionella
HIV.
We are a developer and key provider of pathology testing and surveillance to help control the spread of infectious diseases in NSW. We provide public health pathology advice at a state and federal level.
Fast, accurate confirmation is critical to prevent the spread of disease in NSW public hospitals and communities.
Other relevant NSW Health Pathology departments and affiliations:
Medical entomology NSWHP-ICPMR
We operate the only hospital-based medical entomology laboratory in Australia which receives samples from across the country.
It provides research and advice on the impact of insect-borne diseases on human health.
Medical entomologist Associate Professor Cameron Webb engages with media, social media, community and government to deliver public messaging and advice about safe and effective mosquito bite prevention.
Environmental health
NSW Health Pathology provides specialised testing for Legionella bacteria in cooling towers and hot water systems which can infect humans.
We also offer one of the most comprehensive range of tests in NSW to detect harmful trace elements including lead, copper, zinc, selenium, and titanium.
World Health Organisation (WHO) National Influenza Centre
National Influenza Centres collect and analyse viruses and ship representative clinical specimens and isolates to WHO Collaboration Centres for advanced antigenic and genetic analysis.
Our Medical Virologist, Professor Dominic Dwyer, leads the World Health Organisation (WHO) National Influenza Centre located at ICPMR-Westmead.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Research Leadership
The World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance and Sexually Transmitted Infections (WHOCC for STI and AMR) and the Neisseria Reference Laboratory are based at NSW Health Pathology, Randwick.
A WHO Collaborating Centre (WHO CC) is an institution designated by the Director-General of WHO to form part of an international collaborative network that support national health development globally. The WHO CC at NSWHP Randwick coordinates national and regional surveillance of AMR in N. gonorrhoeae for the Australian Government Department of Health and the WHO, and also co-ordinates the national laboratory surveillance program for invasive meningococcal disease.