First in Wales. Second in the UK. Third in the World. Cwm Taf Pathology Makes the Grade

Cwm Taf University Health Board’s Pathology Directorate has become only the third in the world to receive its kite mark of quality in all five of its main disciplines.

 

Historically, accreditation of pathology directorates (a ministerial requirement for all pathology directorates in Wales) was overseen by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA).  Now UKAS has raised the standards and inspects laboratories against stringent ISO15189 standards. 

 

The new standard covers all aspects of the laboratory.  Not only what is involved in the production of test results, but also background functions such as training and competency of staff, resolution of complaints, preventative actions, audit, review and continual improvement. 

 

Paul Seddon, quality manager at the health board said: “The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) came into our departments with 10 different inspectors spending days scrutinising our work, protocols, methods, training, competency, document control, audits, SLAs, internal quality control, external quality control, our maintenance, reagents, instruments and a whole lot more. 

 

“They watched us pipette, analyse, stain, centrifuge, freeze, thaw, and store. Everything you can do to samples!”

 

The Certificate of Accreditation to ISO 15189:2012 was received on May 10 2016. It covers the departments of clinical chemistry, haematology and transfusion, cellular pathology, immunology and microbiology – each within the pathology directorate.
 

Esther Youd, clinical director for pathology at the health board said: “Usually, each department within pathology would seek its own accreditation one at a time. Instead, we took the bold step of applying for accreditation in all our departments at the same time.

 

“It’s incredible to think that not only are we the first in Wales to receive this accreditation, but we are the second in the UK and only the third in the world!

 

“This accreditation is official recognition of the outstanding quality ethos of the pathology directorate; quality of results, quality of management and quality of staff.”