About UK NEQAS For Blood Coagulation

UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation is an international External Quality Assessment (EQA) programme, providing assessment, education and support for centres performing tests of haemostasis and thrombosis. We are a non-profit centre, offering independent impartial assessment of performance in laboratories and the point of care setting, for over 40 different tests in haemostasis. In addition, we provide support to individual centres by internationally recognised experts in the field, and education through additional exercises, publications and scientific meetings.

UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation programmes are hosted at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, part of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.

The UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation scheme has been running for 50 years - it was originally founded in 1967, with recognition as a UK NEQAS programme in 1975. Professor F E Preston was appointed Director in 1992, and organisation of the programme was transferred in November 1993 from the Royal Free Hospital, London, to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Hospital Trust. Professor I D Walker was appointed Director from 1st February 2005, on the retirement of Professor Preston.

The purpose of UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation is to provide external quality assessment (EQA) for tests of blood coagulation, and other tests of haemostasis, and to promote high standards of performance and practice. EQA, together with internal quality control (IQC) procedures, are seen as vital components of overall laboratory assurance.

For the laboratory programme, although participation is predominantly from clinical laboratories, participation by industrial and other laboratories is welcomed. Most participating laboratories are sited within the UK, but registration is open to laboratories in Europe and further afield, whether government supported, private or commercial. UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation is run on a not for profit basis, under the auspices of UK National External Quality Assessment Service and professional bodies. Participants in the Point of Care programmes come from both primary and secondary care sectors.

Currently, samples for over 30 different tests of haemostasis are distributed to more than 1,000 participants in the laboratory based programme and over 4,000 participants in the Point of Care Testing (POCT) programme.

We are a member of the UK NEQAS organisation, and comply with the UK NEQAS Code of Practice.