Leading forensic toxicology company, Randox, are riding high despite a recent National Audit Office report which raised concerns about a reducing marketplace for private forensic services.

The Co. Antrim-based company are bucking the trend and growing market-share, and in 2014 provided forensic services to all 43 police forces across England and Wales.

Recently the NAO raised concerns that a shrinking private forensic marketplace will result in reduced capacity, and detrimentally impact the judicial process. 

At present UK police forces can either conduct forensic toxicology testing in-house, where such laboratory facilities exist, or outsource the work to one of ten fully-accredited service providers – including Randox – through the National Forensic Framework procurement process.

Under the Framework, all private forensic service providers must be fully accredited, which is a costly process but ensures that rigorous practices are upheld. The NAO highlights that the Forensic Regulator does not have powers to force police labs to comply with accreditation standards. 

As police budgets are cut and more forensics are brought in-house, expenditure on private sector forensic services have declined significantly, to around £60m a year. 

NAO highlights a growing concern in the industry that if forensic services continue to move in-house this will force some private operators to pull out of the market. 

Gary McCutcheon, Manager of Randox Testing Services said: 

“Randox is extremely proud to be one of only 10 forensic providers on the National Forensic Framework: all 43 police services in England and Wales have used Randox’s forensic toxicology services. The fact we are now an established provider, meeting and exceeding standards, means we are a major player and puts us in a strong position going forward.

“Having achieved considerable success in GB police forces we are in a strong position, when circumstances allow, to provide the same first class services and considerable cost savings to forensic toxicology users in Northern Ireland.”