The Australian parent company of troubled Auckland laboratory testing company, Labtests, has taken over its leadership.

Healthscope chief operating officer of pathology Paul Waterson has stepped in from Labtests’ chief executive Ulf Lindskog, the company said in a statement this afternoon.

The move comes after extensive complaints about the lab testing company and claims the public was at risk, prompting health and disability commissioner Ron Paterson to take the matter to health minister Tony Ryall, according to media reports.