Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance

Quality is paramount at Sheffield Laboratory Medicine, and we fully understand the need for all of our service users to feel fully assured that the service we deliver is of the highest quality.  Sheffield Laboratory Medicine was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission in 2018.

All of our laboratory tests where appropriate are UKAS accredited to international standards (ISO15189:2012) which specifies essential quality management system requirements. 

Our full compliance ensures that we subscribe to accredited External Quality Assurance (EQA) schemes for all our tests where they are available or an alternative (inter-laboratory comparison) if there is no EQA scheme. 

Summaries of EQA performance can be provided to assure prospective users of our continued high quality service.  Our policy is to apply for extensions to scope for all new tests as they are added to the repertoires. 

Laboratories across the UK that refer tests to Sheffield Laboratory Medicine regularly seek confirmation that our laboratories fulfil ISO15189 requirements. 

Our Quality Assurance Team provides operational leadership, oversight and clinical governance to ensure the highest quality standards are maintained.  We have an open and transparent culture, and actively encourage feedback from both staff and service users to inform our future plans. 

“I must take this opportunity to thank Sheffield Immunology for their support and the quality of service we have received.  This has significantly improved the service for our patients over the past 2 years. We approached Sheffield at a time when we needed a fast resolution and have been grateful for your team’s responsiveness throughout this period.  Very many thanks for all your help and support.” Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS FT

A full list of all accredited tests provided is detailed in each of our laboratories’ Schedules of Accreditation which can be found on the UKAS website by searching with the discipline unique numerical identifier.

Department of Cellular and Infectious Sciences 8509

Clinical Biochemistry (incl. Toxicology) - 8491

Haematology, Coagulation, Blood Bank - 8505

Histopathology (Chesterfield) - 9805

Immunology - 8494

If you would like to know more about how we can help you, please contact us by telephone on 0114 226 7666 or email us at sth.labmed@nhs.net