A new Royal College of Pathologists report has identified workforce shortages, an aging consultant workforce, and increasing case complexity as key pressures on forensic pathology services across the UK, highlighting concerns about the specialty's capacity to meet future demand.
The Forensic Pathology Workforce Report is the Royal College of Pathologists' first comprehensive analysis of the UK forensic pathology workforce. Drawing on data from the College's 2025 Workforce Census and a national survey of forensic pathology services, it found that consultant numbers have remained largely unchanged over the past decade despite increasing workloads and case complexity.
The report also emphasizes that workforce pressures extend beyond forensic pathology alone. Many services depend on input from toxicology, neuropathology, pediatric pathology, and perinatal pathology, meaning shortages in these disciplines can delay forensic investigations and reporting. The accompanying policy briefing highlights these interdependencies as an issue affecting the wider pathology workforce and diagnostic services.
Across the UK, there are 61 filled consultant forensic pathology posts (62.3 whole-time equivalents) and seven vacancies, five of which are in Scotland. The College estimates that an additional 16 consultant posts are needed to meet current demand. 30 percent of the consultant workforce is expected to retire within the next decade, yet only 10 resident physicians are currently training in forensic pathology. The report estimates that six additional funded training posts will be required by 2031 and recommends expanding training by 23 posts over the next decade to support succession planning.
Most respondents reported concerns about workforce capacity. 44 percent of forensic pathologists in England, 67 percent in Wales, 90 percent in Scotland, and all respondents in Northern Ireland said current staffing levels were insufficient to support long-term service delivery. The most frequently cited barriers to recruitment were a shortage of qualified pathologists, competition with the private sector, and budget constraints.
The report also describes growing workload pressures. Respondents reported working an average of about 42 hours per week, with administration accounting for 40 percent of working time and postmortem examinations 38 percent. It notes that differences in how forensic cases are defined and recorded across the UK limit direct comparisons between services.
To address these challenges, the College recommends coordinated workforce planning across the UK's three forensic pathology systems. Recommendations include expanding training capacity, improving retention, investing in mortuary facilities and postmortem computed tomography where appropriate, strengthening workforce data collection, reviewing service and employment models, and increasing opportunities for histopathologists to undertake postmortem work through established training pathways.
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