PERFORMANCE MONITORING
UK NEQAS CPT carefully monitors each EQA assessment run and tracks the performance of all participants. Participants identified for performance monitoring are offered tailored advice and support to help improve their performance.
When a participant falls into performance monitoring, they will receive an email notification from UK NEQAS CPT. This notification will be sent to the Technical Head of Department, and Clinical Head of Department contacts, informing them that underperformance has been detected. Along with this notification, a Root Cause Analysis form (Performance Monitoring Action Form) is made available on the UK NEQAS CPT website as part of the online incident reporting process. This form must be completed and submitted by the participant through the online portal as part of their response to the notification.
If no response has been received from the laboratory/organisation by the due date (one month from the date the email is issued) UK NEQAS CPT will follow up directly.
UK NEQAS CPT use a ‘traffic light’ system for the grading of all its participants:
Amber Rating
3 scores of 2/5 (4/10) or lower over 5 assessment runs will trigger an amber notification. For TEM scheme only 6 scores of 2/5 (4/10) or lower over 5 assessment runs = Amber.
Red Rating
5 scores of 2/5 (4/10) or lower over 5 assessment runs will trigger a red notification. As a result of a lab attaining a Red Rating, For TEM scheme only 10 scores of 2/5 (4/10) or lower over 5 assessment runs = Red.
Black Rating
This rating was originally defined by NQAAP for participants with unresolved performance issues. If the actions of NQAAP did not resolve the performance issues, then NQAAP would refer the participants to the Joint Working Group (JWG).
Persistent/unresolved performance issues may then have been to QAPC (UK Clinical Laboratories)
Recent changes in the structure of these referral bodies (NQAAP and QAPAC) gives UK NEQAS CPT the opportunity to remind participants that for ISO accredited laboratories confirmation of acceptable performance in External Quality Assurance (EQA) or Proficiency Testing (PT) schemes must be provided during annual registration. For many non-UK based equivalent standards assessments, that requirement remains. To support compliance with these professional standards assessments and continuous improvement processes, whether participants are UK based or overseas, UK NEQAS CPT offers advice and guidance to assist participants in implementing effective improvement actions based on their performance data.