FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

UK NEQAS for Molecular Genetics is predominantly educational. However mechanisms are in place to monitor and act on issues of poor performance.

Public and private labs in the U.K., Ireland and The Netherlands carrying out molecular genetic analysis for human inherited conditions.Some schemes are open to laboratories in all countries.  Please contact the Scheme Organiser if you require further details.

Currently under normal circumstances there is one distribution of samples per year for each disease. We offer quality assessment for a range of diseases and sample distribution is staggered. For each disease sufficient samples are distributed to answer three clinical scenarios. When poor performance is identified additional rounds of samples may be distributed as deemed necessary by the Steering Committee.   The molecular testing on blood spots EQA schemes include four distributions per year.

There is an annual registration fee regradless of how many schemes you participate in (for 2011 - £150 for UK labs and £200 for non-UK labs).

For the 2011 EQA scheme, the following fees apply:

Full genotyping and interpretation EQAs - £335 per disease

Genotyping only EQAs- £165 per disease

Interpretation only EQAs - £165 per disease

Blood spot EQAs - £800 per disease (for 4 distributions)

Pilot EQAs - please enquire on info@ukneqas-molgen.org.uk

See the News page for further details.

The scheme aims to not only assess the accuracy of genotyping but in addition the overall quality of the reports issued. Each report is given a numerical score both for the accuracy of the genotyping and the relevance of the interpretation of the results. Errors in clerical accuracy are noted.

For genotyping only and interpretation only EQAs then only those categories will be assessed.

All reports are marked by at least two senior members of the profession with experience of the disease in question.  Marking criteria is set by the Steering Committee for each case. Any discrepancies in marking are resolved by the Steering Committee.

Poor performance criteria is set by the Steering Committee and Scheme Organiser and is approved by NQAAP for Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics. See the Poor Performance Criteria.

Yes. The anonymity of each participating laboratory will be maintained at all times unless deemed a persistent poor performer.  The laboartory identity will only then be disclosed to the appropriate NQAAP panel.

 

 

Last Updated: 07th November, 2011 by Sandi Deans

History: 08th February, 2010 SD, 19th February, 2009 SD, 19th October 2007 SD,29th January 2007 SD