Information to Patients & Users regarding UKAS Accreditation
Southwest Pathology Services is United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited for the majority of it’s test repertoire under a single registration of 7880. This replaces the 4 separate registration that were previously in place and includes accreditation for Phlebotomy undertaken by our own staff.
There is a Single Quality Management System (QMS) in place across all sites and all disciplines and this has been commended by UKAS as being well embedded. In October 2020 we underwent an extensive and very successful re-assessment visit which takes place every 4 years and we received a new Grant of Accreditation. For the next 3 years we will have surveillance visits to ensure we are still compliant.
However no one is quite sure if this will need to be a virtual visit this time given the continuing global pandemic.
Unlike Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) where it was the laboratory that was accredited, UKAS accreditation is on a test by test basis and the tests that are covered under our accreditation are on the Test Schedule on the UKAS Website.
In 2019 the Phlebotomy department applied for accreditation and was very successful in gaining this across the whole service.
The COVID global pandemic has presented some challenges for Pathology First and new tests have been set up for swab and antibody testing. Pathology First has applied for accreditation for these tests via an Extension to Scope. This was carried out as part of a remote assessment and has been recommended for accreditation. We are just managing a few minor findings after which the PCR and Antibody tests will be added to our list of accredited tests.
To look up tests on the UKAS Website click here.
If you need any information as to which tests are accredited during this transition please contact a member of the Quality Team at [email protected].
Page last updated on: 10th October 2024