Annals of Clinical Biochemistry > Volume 45, Number 2 > Pp. 135-139

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Housley, D. Articles by Freedman, D. B Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Original Article

Audit of internal quality control practice and processes in the south-east of England and suggested regional standards

David Housley ^1 * , Edward Kearney ², Emma English ³, Natalie Smith ¹, Teresa Teal ^4 *, Janina Mazurkiewicz ^4 * and Danielle B Freedman ¹

¹ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Luton & Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Lewsey Road, Luton LU4 0DZ, UK; ² Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, East Kent Hopsitals NHS Trust, St Peter's Road, Margate, Kent CT94AN, UK; ³ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Addenbrooke's Hospital NHS Trust, Box 232, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK; ⁴ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Eastbourne District General Hospital, Kings Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2UD, UK

Corresponding author: Dr David Housley. Email: David.Housley{at}nhs.net

Background: Internal quality control (IQC) has a long and well-established role in clinical biochemistry laboratories. However, despite the duration of use, and the publication of several articles detailing best practice, the implementation and use of IQC vary significantly between institutions. Consequently, the North Thames Audit and Quality Assurance Group undertook a region-wide audit of current IQC practice in 2006.

Methods: On aspects of IQC testing, interpretation and laboratory processes, 54 laboratories in the region were audited.

Results: Audit data showed significant variability in all aspects of practice, including IQC frequency, use of appropriate material, statistical processing and grades of staff involved.

Conclusions: Some of the variation in practice may affect the effectiveness of laboratory IQC, and thus the adequacy of a laboratory to monitor system performance. Consequently, a set of proposed regional standards have been developed and disseminated, prior to re-audit at a future date.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. C Deacon Interpretation of internal quality control: time for a re-think? Ann Clin Biochem, November 1, 2009; 46(6): 534 - 535. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R T Erasmus and A E Zemlin Clinical audit in the laboratory J. Clin. Pathol., July 1, 2009; 62(7): 593 - 597. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]