A lab which is under investigation for wrongly diagnosing smear tests is being hampered by a high staff turnover, a report has revealed.

Southend Hospital’s quality assurance committee said it had a number of concerns over Pathology First which runs pathology services for Southend and Basildon Hospitals under a joint venture.

The lab, in Bentalls, Basildon, has been at the centre of an investigation involving the retesting of 2,500 smear samples after diagnostic errors were made with a number of tests.

The committee said it was “concerned” about the ongoing investigation.

In a Southend Hospital board report, the committee said: “The committee asked that it should be kept up to date with the areas of concern, as although there is good practice there are significant areas that require improvement.

“It was noted that there is no action plan in place and felt that there should be more urgency in resolving the issues regarding staffing.”

The committee revealed the pathology service will be working to develop a “single clinical divisional structure” for Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals but said it was also “concerned about joint working performance”.

A spokeswoman for the hospitals and the clinical commissioning group said that training of staff and recruitment is paramount to improving the service.

He said: “We are heavily investing in the training and development of staff, and will continue to do so, particularly to develop expertise in specific scientific disciplines where there is a UK-wide shortage of experienced candidates; alongside an ongoing recruitment programme.

“Future options for the pathology services at Mid Essex Hospitals are currently being explored.”

The committee revealed the clinical commissioning group had issued a “penalty” to Pathology First but the hospitals and the group could not clarify what that was.

She added: “The re-examination of the cervical screening tests is near completion.

“The outcome is being analysed and as this is a complex process it is expected to take several weeks. Once the findings are finalised they will be published.

“To date, all the women who have had a changed result have been contacted and offered the appropriate course of treatment and support.

“The final set of slides is currently under re-examination and if any further women are found to have a changed result, they will be contacted early next week.”