The Scheme aims to assess the overall quality of diagnostic analysis performed by a laboratory by a combination of retrospective audit and distribution of reference material or web-based EQA. It assesses tissue specific performance for Constitutional cases and for Oncology cases (acquired abnormalities.)
Performance criteria have been divided into three broad inter-linked categories:
- Technical performance:
Slide quality. The banding quality of submitted slides is assessed. - Analytical performance:
Scoring of the quality of individual laboratory analyses and description of ISCN either as a result of retrospective external audit of cases requested by the scheme and/or external assessment (the distribution of suitable reference material for proficiency testing). - Interpretative performance:
Scoring of the quality of individual laboratory reports either as a result of retrospective external audit of cases by the scheme or by external assessment (web based EQA).
UK laboratories will be given a score against these criteria under NQAAP-determined performance standards Non-UK laboratories are also scored against these criteria and any poor performance is referred to the Steering Group.