Scheme Information Sheets
UK NEQAS for Clinical Chemistry
| Scheme Particulars | Indicative Details |
|---|---|
| Accreditation body | UKAS |
| ISO/IEC Accreditation status | ISO/IEC 17043:2023 |
| UKAS Accredited Proficiency Testing Provider No | 7860 |
| Objective of Scheme | Provides EQA coverage for a large number of routine analytes found on a clinical chemistry analyser. This includes tests for electrolytes, renal and liver function. The Scheme distributes a number of endogenous and manipulated specimens to allow a comprehensive range of concentrations to be achieved. Birmingham Quality has a number of other EQA Schemes which allow specimens to be more targetted at specific concentrations for specific clinical conditions. For example the UK NEQAS for Paediatric bilirubin Scheme which covers higher concentrations of bilirubin which would ordinarily interfere with some analytes in the UK NEQAS for Clinical Chemistry Scheme |
| Pre-, Analytical, Post- status | Analytical |
| Number of distributions per year (nominal) | 22 |
| Specimens per distribution | 3 |
| Number of Specimens per annum | 66 |
| Frequency of distribution | Fortnightly |
| Scoring system | ABC |
| Material distributed | Pooled, liquid human serum with or without exogenous added analyte |
| Programme Director(s) / Organiser(s) | Finlay MacKenzie |
| Criteria for participation | All, but overseas by courier |
| Nominal sample volume (mL) | 1 |
| Sample presentation TACs | All analytes in the same tube |
| Data in Chemistry on-line Dashboard | Yes |
Thaw in water bath unless previously thawed at room temperature (old pools).
| Analyte | Approx Range | Default Units | Target Value | B Score Limit (%) | C Score Limit (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted calcium | 0.8 – 4 | mmol/L | GLTM | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| Albumin | 32 – 58 | g/L | GLTM | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| ALP [Alk Phos] | 20 – 440 | U/L | MLTM | 10.0 | 7.5 |
| ALT [ALAT] | 5 – 80 | U/L | MLTM | 7.5 | 10.0 |
| Amylase | 40 – 600 | U/L | MLTM | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Anion Gap | 0 – 50 | mmol/L | ALTM | 15.0 | 20.0 |
| AST [ASAT] | 10 – 100 | U/L | MLTM | 7.5 | 10.0 |
| Bicarbonate | 3 – 35 | mmol/L | ALTM | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Bilirubin | 0 – 240 | µmol/L | ALTM | 20.0 | 15.0 |
| Calcium | 1 – 4 | mmol/L | ALTM | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| Chloride | 90 – 140 | mmol/L | ALTM | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| CK | 4 – 360 | U/L | MLTM | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Copper | 0 – 30 | µmol/L | ALTM | 15.0 | 20.0 |
| Creatinine | 30 – 450 | µmol/L | OGLTM | 6.0 | 10.0 |
| D-3-hydroxybutyrate | 30 – 1200 | µmol/L | ALTM | 20.0 | 15.0 |
| FIB-4 | 0.5 – 6.0 | ~ | MLTM | 7.5 | 10.0 |
| GGT | 12 – 500 | U/L | MLTM | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Globulins | 0 – 50 | g/L | ALTM | 7.5 | 10.0 |
| Glucose | 1.8 – 32 | mmol/L | ALTM | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Iron | 2 – 24 | µmol/L | ALTM | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Lactate | 0.5 – 10 | mmol/L | ALTM | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| LD | 75 – 500 | U/L | MLTM | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Lipase | 40 – 650 | U/L | MLTM | 10.0 | 15.0 |
| Lithium | 0 – 1.3 | mmol/L | ALTM | 10.0 | 15.0 |
| Magnesium | 0.4 – 1.8 | mmol/L | ALTM | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Osmolal Gap | 0 – 20 | mmol/kg | XALTM | 100.0 | 150.0 |
| Osmolality | 260 – 480 | mmol/kg | ALTM | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Phosphate | 0 – 2 | mmol/L | ALTM | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Potassium | 2 – 10 | mmol/L | ALTM | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Sodium | 115 – 185 | mmol/L | ALTM | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| TIBC | 20 – 90 | µmol/L | ALTM | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Total protein | 48 – 100 | g/L | ALTM | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Transferrin | 0 – 5 | g/L | ALTM | 7.5 | 10.0 |
| Transferrin Saturation | 0 – 100 | % | ALTM | 15.0 | 10.0 |
| UIBC | 20 – 90 | µmol/L | ALTM | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Urate | 90 – 700 | µmol/L | ALTM | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Urea | 1 – 50 | mmol/L | ALTM | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Zinc | 4 – 32 | µmol/L | ALTM | 15.0 | 20.0 |
| Abbreviation | Expansion |
|---|---|
| ALTM | All Laboratory Trimmed Mean |
| GLTM | Group Laboratory Trimmed Mean – which is the Method Principle Mean |
| MLTM | Method Laboratory Trimmed Mean – usually a manufacturer system / analyser mean |
| XALTM | An external value that may be from a Reference Method System |
| OGLTM | A Method Principle Mean used as the target for all laboratories |
| OMLTM | A specific Method Mean used as a target for all laboratories |
| MED | Median |
