Analytical Quality (C-AQ)

Membership

Mission statement

To promote the education and training of laboratory professionals on international standards and practices of analytical quality in clinical laboratories.

Terms of reference

To provide education and training on the various aspects of analytical quality in the clinical laboratory which include:

• methods and instrument validation
• traceability concepts
• measurement uncertainty
• internal quality control procedures
• external quality assessment programmes
• pre and post-analytical variables

To address the educational and training needs of emerging nations on analytical quality.

Education and training will be provided in many ways including:

• written material
• electronic teaching
• workshops and seminars
• invited lectures
• consultations

To collaborate with other IFCC Committees or Working Groups to achieve these aims projects:

• Maintain a directory of global EQA providers.
• To identify, evaluate and maintain educational resource library on Analytical Quality.
• To organize and deliver workshops on Analytical Quality
• To produce monographs on Quality to address the needs of developing countries.

On going activities

EQA set up consultation
If a country (or sub-Regional group) requests advice or assistance (in several languages) on how to establish an EQA scheme, C-AQ can provide advice, educational materials and training, either from the Committee or by recommending appropriate experts/mentors.

Support of Visiting Lecture Program (VLP)
Supporting EMD in reviewing applications which include quality elements and providing or suggesting appropriate lecturers, often together with C-CLM, EMD and/or DQCML.

Web site as an educational resource
Maintaining the resources of this C-AQ website to provide a convenient starting point to identify and access relevant educational resources on all aspects of analytical quality.

Directory of National EQA contacts
Maintain an updated list of appropriate EQA schemes and contact details for each country. Please click on this link for further information: Directory of EQA Services

Provide content for distance-learning (e-learning) on analytical quality topics
Contributing quality-related materials and learning outcomes for inclusion into eAcademy.  

Current projects

Develop a set of “Quality Ladder” monographs for  low and middle income countries.

Support the development of Patient-Based Real Time Quality Control (PBRTQC).  A separate working group has been developed to undertake this activity.  (Link for further information).

Past achievements 

Publications and Resources

List of Corresponding Members, nominated by Full Member Societies

List of Corresponding Members, nominated by Corporate Members

Committee Chair's contact:

Dr. Annette Thomas

Director, Quality Laboratory, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board 

Unit 6, Parc Ty Glas, Llanishen

Cardiff CF14 5DU

E-mail: Annette.Thomas2@wales.nhs.uk