UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation Point of Care Testing (POCT) / Near Patient Testing (NPT)

INTRODUCTION

By providing external quality assessment for tests of blood coagulation carried out on instrument systems designed for ‘near patient’ testing (NPT) or ‘point of care’ testing (POCT), as a part of the overall quality assurance, the programme aims to promote high standards of performance and practice, achieved with the UK NEQAS primary aim of education, by provision of independent, objective and impartial information.

WHO CAN TAKE PART?

The programme is open to all potential participants, whether government supported, private or commercial concerns, at all sites, whether within or remote from hospital laboratories.

REGISTRATION

Please click here to download a registration form for the programme.

The participant registered should be the centre responsible for performing the tests.  If the daily testing is carried out by a GP surgery, the surgery should be registered.  However, if a laboratory provides a satellite service to GP surgeries, it is suggested that the laboratory should be registered.  Results and associated data from participants will be treated with strict confidentiality.

Please Note that a registration covers a specific monitor that may be used by a number of different personnel and transported to an alternative location. Additional monitors need to be registered separately.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Participating centres will be sent four surveys per year, each comprising two samples for INR determination. The samples will be appropriate for the system registered and will be lyophilised human plasma which has been screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and for antibodies to hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (anti-HIV-1+2).

Participants will be provided with instructions on reconstitution and testing of the samples.

A closing date for return of results will be given.  Results will be analysed, and individual reports sent to participants approximately one week after the closing date of a survey. Results can also be entered and reports printed via our secure web site.

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

A median result is calculated for each instrument group, and the percentage deviation of individual laboratories from this median determined. This figure will indicate how close to the 'consensus' result individual results are from other users of the test system, and performance 'outwith consensus' is defined as a result greater than a 15% deviation from the reagent group median.

An overall report on the operation of the Scheme is distributed on an annual basis.

PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE

We currently have programmes for:

1.     CoaguChek and CoaguChek S
(joint programme but devices assessed separately)

Photo instructions can be found here

2.     CoaguChek XS and CoaguChek XS Plus
(joint programme but devices assessed separately)

Photo instructions for the CoaguChek XS can be found here

and for the CoaguChek XS Plus here

3.     Hemochron Junior Signature – programme for both citrated and non-citrated test cuvettes.