PREPQ

PREPQ – a UK NEQAS benefit of participation

UK NEQAS has developed a secure, online system that allows participants to review and monitor the incidence of untoward events occurring in the pre and post analytical phases. This service extends quality surveillance beyond the analytical phase, providing a baseline of data against which users will be able to benchmark their performance and meet the requirements of ISO15189.

The service is entirely web based and entails recording the number of failures or rejections, together with the total number of eligible patient requests, specimens or reports, for a range of up to 11 indicators including patient identification, specimen labelling and specimen collection errors, which align with those described by the Association of Clinical Biochemistry pre‐analytics working group plus additional categories in the post‐analytical phase. These indicators may be expanded, refined or reported in greater detail in future depending upon demand from service users. Data is analysed using Sigma metrics according to whether the participating site numbers tests by request or by specimen, allowing a ‘like-for-like’ comparison of performance in the personalised report.

  • The service is open to any laboratory in the UK or Republic of Ireland participating in UK NEQAS services, as a benefit of membership
  • A new exercise is open every month but participants may submit data for any period and at any frequency convenient to the laboratory
  • Further information about the PREPQ service can be obtained by emailing prepq@ukneqas.org.uk
  • The service is not accredited to ISO/IEC 17043:2023

Registering for the PREPQ service

This registration process is applicable to any UK NEQAS participant laboratory in the UK and Republic of Ireland; other laboratories wishing to register should email prepq@ukneqas.org.uk giving details of their request.