ACCREDITATION STATUS:

UKAS Schedule of Accreditation, Accredited to ISO/IEC 17043:2010, Provider 8560

CLINICAL APPLICATION:

Cardiac Markers used for the determination of AMI, Acute Coronary Syndrome and Heart Failure

PURPOSE OF PROGRAMME:

To assess a laboratory's performance against their peer group.

ANALYTES:

PROGRAMME OF ANALYSIS:

Results are entered online via the UK NEQAS results website. Distributions are live for 18 days. Results can be entered at any time during this period. Late results are accepted via email/fax.

DATA ANALYSIS:

ABC scoring system which is an ISO Guide 17043 compliant framework.

PERFORMANCE SCORING:

PERFORMANCE MONITORING:

Participant performance is calculated over a rolling time-window and thus comprises data (results) from many specimens. They are always being updated with fresh current data, while older data drops out of the 'time-window'. The time-window has been set at 6 distributions (equivalent to 6 months)

PERSISTENT POOR PERFORMANCE:

The definitions of “poor performer” and “persistent poor performer” and procedures when unacceptable performance has been detected have been approved by the NQAAP and our Specialist Advisory Group and are reviewed annually. Participants will be defined as poor performers under the following circumstances: a. Failure to return for one distribution unless valid reason for non-return has been communicated to the Scheme Organiser b. Having an average B Score out- with the stated limits c. Having an average C Score out-with the stated limits Participants will be defined as persistent poor performers under either of the following circumstances: • A poor performer as defined above, compounds the errors by failing to make more returns or continues with a B Score out-with the limits • C Score remains out-with the limits over further distributions.