Unfortunately, we have had a supply issue related to our small glass vials that we use solely for UK NEQAS FMH exercises, and we are unable to obtain any tubes until the end of July at the earliest, which is after our next planned distribution (2204F – due for issue on 5/7/22).
We have been unable to obtain any suitable alternative sample tubes in which to distribute the 2204F exercise and so have taken the decision to cancel the exercise. We considered changing the exercise distribution date, but could not find a suitable alternative.
In order to meet performance monitoring requirements, we will distribute three samples in exercises 2205F (distributing 27 September 2022) and 2206F (distributing 8 November 2022).
We are pleased to announce that the UK NEQAS Haematology Infectious Mononucleosis scheme has been accredited to ISO 17043 by UKAS. Click for Schedule of Accreditation
The recording of our recent March Webinar is now available online on our YouTube channel using the link below
BTLP Update Webinar 21 03 2022 - YouTube
UK NEQAS Haematology
Re-registration process is now closed for UK NEQAS Haematology. For queries, please contact [email protected]
UK NEQAS Blood Transfusion Laboratory Practice (BTLP)
Re-registration process is now closed for UK NEQAS Blood Transfusion Laboratory Practice (BTLP). For queries, please contact [email protected]
The recording of our recent February Webinar is now available online using the link below
BTLP Update Webinar 17 02 2022 - YouTube
You can book onto our next one (21/03/22) using the link below
UK NEQAS BTLP are proud to present a FREE TO ATTEND 1 hour scientific/educational webinar.
Monday 21st March 2022 (14:30-15:30 UK time) Learning from Experience
Registration is now open (click here to register)
UK NEQAS Haematology relies on the expertise of our Scientific Advisory Groups (SAGs) members, who provide advice, feedback and ideas to develop our services. We are always looking for new recruits. You do not have to be a national or international ‘expert’ in the field: we need representatives of our service users with an interest in laboratory haematology and an enthusiasm for the role of EQA in patient care. The SAGs operate in three areas: Automated Counting, Haemoglobinopathies and Morphology. We are keen to recruit to the Automated Counting SAG, especially if you are a Beckman Coulter user, but all expressions of interest are welcome. The time commitment is relatively small, comprising attendance at a couple of meetings annually, participation in occasional Task and Finish Groups and review of documentation. In return, you will be invited to the Annual Participants’ meeting (including accommodation) as our guest. If you are interested or would like to know more, contact Barbara De la Salle (01923 587111 or [email protected]). Don’t be afraid to ask or think you have nothing to offer!
Please click here for the Haematology Newsletter 2022-2023
Please click here for the BTLP Newsletter 2022-2023
Please click here for the UK NEQAS Haematology Participants’ Manual – Version 12 (December 2021) available to download.
PDF copies of exercise schedules have been uploaded and can be accessed in our documents section. You can also use our online schedules list by clicking here Online schedules.
The online schedules page allows you to view all the exercises along with the opening, closing and reporting dates. You will also be able to filter down and view schedules for individual schemes. Further to this you can view an individualised schedule for your own PRN from that same page as long as you are logged in. To do this click the Login button, login with your PRN, Identity and Password and click the Distribution schedules option from the drop down menu with your initials.
All schedules allow you to export them as PDFs or Excel sheets so you can download and / or print them.
We apologies for the delay in issuing the 2112FB and 2106DL reports. We have been experiencing IT processing issues which has impacted on our ability to provide the reports as per our schedule. Thank you for your patience.
Sessions will include a keynote morphology session led by Dr Peter Carey and Professor Barbara Bain, and there will be time at the end of each webinar presentation for delegates to participate in an interactive Q&A session with the speakers.
Webinar Recordings are now available to watch. Click links below
Week 1 | UK NEQAS Haematology Current Performance and Future Developments |
Day/date/time | Thursday 21st October 2021, 14:30-15:30 (UK time) |
Speaker(s) | Dr Barbara De la Salle |
Recording | https://youtu.be/V45_BWmKn3Y |
Week 2 | UK NEQAS Morphology with the Experts |
Day/date/time | Thursday 28th October 2021, 14:30-15:30 (UK time) |
Guest Speaker(s) | Dr Peter Carey, Professor Barbara Bain, Dr Michelle Brereton and Dr John Burthem |
Recording | https://youtu.be/928fF84PGOw |
Week 3 | Clinical Application of Advance Automated Counting Parameters |
Day/date/time | Thursday 4th November 2021, 14:30-15:30 (UK time) |
Guest Speaker(s) | Dr Wayne Thomas |
Recording | https://youtu.be/xKF-wRaKQ0o |
For further information
Visit: www.ukneqas.org.uk/events
Email: [email protected]
The UK NEQAS Haematology and Transfusion website and server experienced technical issues during 30/11/2021 and 01/12/2021. Results submitted between 15:00 (GMT, UTC +0) on the 30th of November and 19:30 on the same day may have been lost.
Participants that have lost their data will be able to return this information.
We have re-opened our 2111HB, 21111PV, 2111NH surveys to allow you to confirm and re-submit your results. Please log into https://www.ukneqash.org/SampleEntry/ and submit your results as normal. Please ensure that the analysis date reflects when samples were analysed to ensure results are reviewed appropriately.
2111HB, 2111PV, 2111NH reports will be delayed as a result.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused. In the meantime if you have any further queries regarding this please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
We were saddened by the news of the death of Professor Sam Machin on Saturday October 2nd. Sam was chair of the UK NEQAS Haematology Steering Committee from 2006 – 2009 and his support of the Scheme was much valued. Tributes and thoughts on Professor Machin’s life and contribution can be posted at the following ‘Much Loved’ page, which has been established by his family and friends:
Tribute to Samuel Machin, 1949 - 2021
This site is a tribute to Sam, who sadly passed away on October 2nd 2021 aged 72 years. He is much loved and will always be remembered by everyone who was lucky enough to know him.
We regret that several packages for the 2108NH distribution have been delayed due to an internal administrative oversight. These packages were dispatched on Friday 20th August and we advise that you allow 4 days for them to arrive. As a result of this delay, we will not close the distribution for return of results until Wednesday 8th September. We apologise for this inconvenience. If you have any queries, please contact [email protected].
UK NEQAS Services Available List 2021-2022
The UK NEQAS Services Available List is a comprehensive directory of all UK NEQAS External Quality Assessment (EQA) / Proficiency Testing (PT) programmes, and is available to view online now. Haematology-related EQA programmes are listed on pages 8-10 of the directory.
Global EQA
The directory features over 500 different EQA/PT programmes covering over 5,000 unique analytes, ensuring full coverage of all aspects of clinical laboratory testing.
New Developments
The UK NEQAS consortium has developed several new pilot modules and have launched a range of Covid-19 services, including new EQA/PT programmes and educational competency programmes, details of which can be found within the Services Available List.
Following the UK NEQAS Haematology webinars held in March 2021, please find below links to the recordings of each webinar:
Week 2 Recording: Troubleshooting Haematology EQA, Tuesday 16 March (click here)
Week 3 Recording: Haemoglobinopathy EQA Cases, Tuesday 23 March (click here)
The Annual Participants’ meeting 2020 was cancelled as a result of the national Covid-19 restrictions and we have taken the difficult decision not to hold a face-to-face meeting in 2021 because of continued uncertainty. We will hold three webinars free-of-charge for participants on March 9, 16 and 23 2021 and plan to offer further online or streamed educational activities in place of the Participants’ Meeting in the Autumn of 2021.
UK NEQAS offers a range of EQA to support Covid-19 diagnostic and monitoring testing. Click here for more information.
For access to UK NEQAS Parasitology website please click here. If you have any questions, please email us here.
UK NEQAS Haematology and Transfusion specimens are a low risk for Covid-19 infection, compared to clinical samples. We have undertaken a risk assessment and advice on handling our specimens and packages during the pandemic can be found here.
We gave consideration to cancelling and moving the exercise to a different date, however with the rapidly changing situation around COVID-19, it seemed very unlikely that there would be any short-term improvement in access to material.
The data entry pages for the exercise will still have details for both Patients 1 and 2. We have marked all Patient 2 samples as “Unsatisfactory sample quality – Sample not received” so that you can submit results without entering data for Patient 2.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused by this change.
The Royal College of Pathologist has set up a new pathology wide External Quality Assurance (EQA) review programme to improve the governance and culture of pathology Quality Assurance (QA). This is an opportunity for experienced laboratory medicine professionals to contribute their expertise to the four workstreams that have been established. If you are interested, please click here for more information or email [email protected]
We were delighted by the news that Professor Keith Hyde, former UK NEQAS Haematology Director, has been elected to the IBMS Council. Follow him on Twitter @kh2409.
UK NEQAS Haematology is looking to recruit an experienced Beckman Coulter instrument user to the Automated Counting Scientific Advisory Group. If you are interested or would like to know more, please email the Scheme Director ([email protected]).