Quality assurance and management
The Doctors Laboratory is committed to providing doctors with pathology of the highest quality. The quality of results is of fundamental importance, and the laboratory operates to stringent technical and administrative standards.
Internal quality assurance is achieved by strict adherence to standard operating procedures for all analytical processes. TDL participates in recognised National External Quality Assessment Schemes; these schemes are subscribed to by NHS and private laboratories. The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) provides accreditation to the internationally recognised ISO 15189 Medical Laboratories: Requirements for Quality and Competence standard. Results are subjected to strict internal and external quality control.
Details of the laboratories to whom TDL refers specialist testing are available from TDL Referrals. These laboratories are UKAS accredited or of equal accreditation status.
Quality Assurance is administered by TDL’s Quality Management Group (QMG), who also adhere to regulatory and accreditation requirements.
Quality Policy
It is the policy of TDL and TDL Genetics to perform all its work to the highest possible level of quality and compliance. ISO 15189 Medical Laboratories and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) are the minimum foundations upon which the standards of work are based.
Quality Management Group
Our Quality Management Group (QMG) is responsible for the planning, organisation and direction of a quality management system within all divisions of The Doctors Laboratory in accordance with appropriate accreditation and regulatory bodies.
Service User Feedback and Complaints Policy
It is the aim of the company to maintain its core values. Two of these core values are to commit to service excellence, and to be enthusiastic about continuous improvement.
TDL referral laboratories
For certain specialist tests, TDL has developed a selected network of TDL Group and Reference Laboratories. These Group or specialist laboratories can be identified by a code assigned to reports. The quality of these laboratories is recognised by UKAS, or similar accrediting bodies for the laboratories outside the UK.
Measurement Uncertainty
Medical laboratories are responsible for ensuring that test results are fit for clinical application by defining analytical performance goals and selecting appropriate measurement procedures.
Quality accreditation
TDL participates in recognised National External Quality Assessment Schemes which are subscribed to by NHS and private laboratories. TDL laboratories are accredited to the international standard for medical laboratories, ISO 15189, by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and are regulated and monitored by the Care Quality Commission.
Sample rejection criteria
Sometimes tests cannot be performed in the laboratory if samples fall short of the quality, volume or
other eligibility criteria.