A comparative survey of the results of analyses of blood serum in clinical chemistry laboratories in the United Kingdom

Abstract

In most surveys the specimens distributed are lyophylized animal serum and this limits the types of analysis which may be surveyed. In addition there may be problems in the manufacture and reconstitution of the sera before analysis.In an attempt to overcome some of the difficulties outlined above, a scheme called the UK NationalReceived for publication 19 April 1973.Quality Control Scheme was started in 1969. The main objectives of the scheme were as follows:1 To send at 14-day intervals a portion of a bulked human serum to all those hospital laboratories in the UK which perform clinical chemistry analyses.2 The survey should initially be concerned with 15 of the more commonly performed analyses. If a laboratory did not routinely perform all of the 15 analyses, this would not exclude it from participating in the Scheme. 3 The participating laboratories to return the results to the organizing laboratory in as short a time as possible and the results from all the laboratories to be available to the participants within 10 days of the specimen arriving in the participating laboratories.4 To make participation voluntary and preserve anonymity.5 To present the results in a manner that would enable the participants to make judgments of their performance, particularly in relation to the analytical method used.6 To assess the role of automation, analytical methods, laboratory workload, and other factors possibly affecting accuracy and precision.7 To assess if any improvement in precision and accuracy in the hospital laboratories of the UK occurred as a result of frequent surveys.

National Health Service laboratories in England, 1966-74.

“…Interlaboratory survey schemes in clinical chemistry (Whitehead et al, 1973) and haematology (Lewis, 1975, personal communication) have shown that smaller laboratories tend to produce less accurate results.…”

The Middle East External Quality Assessment Scheme for Clinical Chemistry: The First Decade

“…The reports are designed to give a clear but concise account of the performance of the laboratory. Laboratory results are compared with those obtained from distribution of the same specimen in the United Kingdom National EQAS for General Clinical Chemistry (UKNEQAS) and grouped according to method [4]. The UKNEQAS values have been employed as designated values for MEEQAS.…”

“…It is based on the scheme that has been operating successfully in the United Kingdom for over 20 years [2,4]. Briefly, specimens are distributed from Riyadh by courier service every six months to the further parts of the region, but are personally collected by local participants.…”

Drug Level Monitoring ‐ Quantity and Quality

“…No laboratory test is of value unless the clinician has confidence in its accuracy. Some years ago, Professor Tom Whitehead of Birmingham drew attention to the poor quality of routine clinical chemistry tests and in order to achieve some improvement introduced the Birmingham quality control scheme for clinical chemistry, in which most UK laboratories now take part (Whitehead, Browning & Gregory, 1973). The justification for this scheme was that although rigorous internal quality control goes part of the way to eliminate analytical errors (i.e.…”