Covid-19 All Centre Update for w/c 30th March 2020
To help UK NEQAS participants in the current Covid-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak, we will be providing a weekly all-centre update. We will also provide an email address for each centre should anyone wish to make direct contact with their centre. Here’s the update for week commencing 30th March 2020:
| UK NEQAS Centre | Update for w/c 30th March 2020 |
|---|---|
| Birmingham Quality (Clinical Chemistry) | Are continuing to run all services apart from suspension of Faecal Elastase and are regularly reviewing for safety. birminghamquality@uhb.nhs.uk |
| Blood Coagulation | Are planning to send most surveys out on schedule but are extending deadlines for returns to accommodate laboratories. coag@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Blood Transfusion Laboratory Practice | Continue to run a full range of services and are reviewing all distributions 5 weeks prior to dispatch. btlp@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Cardiac Markers | Continue to run a full range of services with their May distributions packed and ready to send when appropriate. cardiac@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Cellular Pathology Technique | Are experiencing disruptions to their assessment schedule and education programme but remain fully contactable should you require advice and support. cpt@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Edinburgh Peptide Hormones | Operating as normal with distributions every two week. This is regularly being reviewed for circumstance changes. ukneqas@ed.ac.uk |
| Genomics (GenQA) | Postponed distribution to all UK and non-UK laboratories during April, May and June, but are regularly reviewing for safety and viability. info@genqa.org |
| Guildford Peptide Hormones | Working as normal but continue to regularly review the safety of their services. insulin@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Haematology | No further update. haem@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Head and Neck Pathology | No further update. neckpath@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics | Have come to the decision to postpone distributions until July. The centre continues with relevant work whilst some staff have been redeployed to assist with critical services and help with the fight against COVID-19. handi@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Immunocytochemistry & In-Situ Hybridisation | No further update. info@ukneqasiccish.org |
| Immunology, Immunochemistry & Allergy | Are not dispatching any EQA schemes, until further notice, to the UK and worldwide due to logistical and staffing issues. The centre remains open and are answering any queries from participants. Reports for distributions that closed last week are being completed and staff are preparing samples ready for when distributions can commence again. immunology@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Leucocyte Immunophenotyping | Plan to send out accredited programmes on schedule as these fit in with the testing pathways highlighted by NHSE and the RCPath as critical for patient care. Non-accredited programmes may experience some minor changes however these will be communicated with participants. lip@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Microbiology | Have ceased dispatch for the UK and worldwide, however continue to complete reports and deal with customer queries. Many of their staff have been redeployed to help with patient screening and treatment of patients with COVID-19. organiser@ukneqasmicro.org.uk |
| Parasitology | Have ceased dispatch for the UK and worldwide however continue to complete reports and deal with customer queries. Many of their staff have been redeployed to help with patient screening and treatment of patients with COVID-19. parasite@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Reproductive Science | Continue to operate on schedule at the moment and are reviewing distributions regularly. repscience@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Trace Elements | Working as normal but continue to regularly review the safety of their services. trace@ukneqas.org.uk |
| UK National BNS Neuropathology Interpretative EQA Scheme | No further update. neuropath@ukneqas.org.uk |
| Vitamin K | Plan to continue services at present and are regularly reviewing any potential future changes. keqas@ukneqas.org.uk |