Additional Exercises/Supplementary Exercises

In addition to the established programmes for over 30 different tests or analytes in the UK NEQAS BC repertoire, we carry out supplementary exercises to explore specific or topical issues in haemostasis testing.

These supplementary exercises are offered on an ad hoc , unscheduled basis - in some cases this is because the exercise is a "one-off" exercise to explore a specific issue, in others it is because valid donor material is in short supply, and artificially prepared material is inappropriate (please see the section on commutability below).

The following supplementary exercises have been carried out since 2014:

• HIT screening/assays
• FVIII binding assays
• Dysfibrinogenaemia screening exercise
• FVIII post infusion monitoring (standard and extended half-life products)
• FIX post infusion monitoring (standard and extended half-life products)
• FVIII inhibitor assays
• FIX inhibitor assays
• Diagnostic Challenge (participants are required to investigate a sample and make a diagnosis)
• Any test exercise (participants are invited to perform any addition test for which they do not currently have EQA - this supports centres performing specialist, esoteric or research tests to fulfil accreditation requirements for EQA).

For more information on any of these exercises, please make contact.

Participation is open to health care professionals in all areas of clinical and scientific practice. Participation by industrial and other laboratories is welcomed. Registration is open to laboratories in all countries, whether governement supported, private or commercial.

Participants currently registered in the UK NEQAS BC programmes can register for whichever supplementary exercises they choose. For some exercises there is a participation fee, for others, participation is complementary.

Participants not currently enrolled in our programmes may be able to register specifically for selected exercises - a participation fee will be made in each case.

The participant registered should be the centre responsible for performing the tests. Data from participants will be treated with strict confidentiality. Registered participants will be given a unique participation number, which should be quoted in all correspondance. Use of this number will assist in maintaining confidentiality in survey correspondance.

All participants are asked to provide email contact details, as these will be used for alerts about survey distribution and availability of reports. Email addresses alongside other participant information are confidential, and not shared with any third party.

As part of registration, participants in the UK are requested to formally agree to adhere to the Joint Working Group's Conditions of Participation in UK EQA Schemes. With the few exceptions indicated in these Conditions, the Director is obliged to observe strict confidentiality regarding individual performance. All participant details are held in strict confidence and are not shared with any third party. Use of the participant number will assist in maintaining confidentiality in survey correspondance.