Introduction In this issue ...

· Recent CPA Assessments – an Apology and Explanation
· CPA (UK) Ltd Standards, Training and Education Group (STEG)
· EQA Scheme Accreditation: New Arrangements Within CPA 

a certain amount of confusion, both within and outside CPA Central Office, for which we apologise but at the time there was no alternative.

In addition, there are many times when assessors agree to undertake a visit and then have to be replaced on the team because of other commitments. The present rate of changing assessors on visits is 78%. We are therefore arranging 4 visits to complete 1.

We considered paying for assessor time and conducted a survey within the existing assessor pool. The consensus was that payment would not create any more time and would not solve the immediate problem.

All assessors wishing to continue to assess for CPA under the new standards have been required to attend re training courses. The change has had an impact on the number of assessors agreeing to continue and to date we have lost 120 assessors.

We have been recruiting new assessors – 90 to date – via the CPA website and through our professional bodies, but if you feel you, or anyone known to you, would be suited to this task, please contact CPA Central Office.

The Standards, Training and Education Group (STEG) was established by the CPA Board at its meeting in March 2003. The group is directly responsible to the CPA Board of Directors, which appoints the chairman and members. The chairman attends the Board to provide regular progress reports. STEG takes over the functions of the Laboratory Standards revision group, the EQA Standards group and those of the ad hoc Training sub committee, that has organised the recent courses held around the UK in 2001 and 2002. Its remit includes the:

· review, on an annual basis, of the Laboratory and EQA Scheme Standards and supporting bibliographies

· training and updating of assessors

· preparation of educational material in support of CPA activities

· maintenance of a list of approved speakers

· support of CPA Policy on accreditation of activities overseas.

STEG membership consists of an independent chairman, as well as the Chairman of the Professional Advisory Committee (PAC), 

the CPA Executive Manager and CPA accreditation leaders, together with individuals from the professions. The latter are selected according to a membership specification that includes good communication, presentational and interpersonal skills, a commitment to training and education and a broad knowledge of medical laboratories/EQA schemes. New members will be sought by advertisement in relevant professional publications, applications assessed, interviews held and appointments made by the CPA Board. 

A major activity of STEG at the present time is the training of new assessors and the retraining of current ones. This is being done using training material prepared by CPA (UK) Ltd in conjunction with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). The training of new assessors is evolving as a two-day residential course, the first of which was held on 11-12th August in Birmingham. These courses are held for approximately thirty would be assessors and are conducted by five to six tutors. They will continue on a monthly basis throughout 2004. The courses include a considerable amount of hands on experience and give the attendees an opportunity to develop and

hone the skills required, as well as giving the tutors an opportunity to identify areas that might need further development. 

The work of STEG is intended to compliment that of the operational activities of the PAC by maintaining the documentation used in assessment and providing training for assessors. The aim is to continually improve the quality and objectivity of the assessments. The publication of the CPA (UK) Ltd ‘Standards for the Medical Laboratory’ was the first step in this process and this is now joined by the CPA (UK) Ltd ‘Standards for EQA Schemes in Laboratory Medicine’. The second step has been the production of a document entitled ‘The Conduct of CPA (UK) Ltd Medical Laboratory Assessments’ that replaces previous handbooks and provides a guide for both assessors and applicant laboratories. This document, together with the forms to be used in the assessment process, is published on www.cpa-uk.co.uk. This material, in addition to the templates already produced for aspects of the Quality Management System in medical laboratories, is intended to aid departments in achieving accreditation.

3 The EQA leads will undertake the functions presently undertaken by the Chief Executive and CPA(EQA) Commitee Chairman except for reporting to the CPA Board which will in future be undertaken by the PAC Chairman and the Chief Executive (Accreditation).

4 The EQA leads will be supported by:

i) Specialist advisors for each of the disciplines not represented by the EQA leads.

ii) A group of assessors trained to assess under the new EQA Standards (to be introduced in April 2004).

5 The EQA leads and their Specialist Advisors will meet as a Sub-committee to undertake a preliminary assessment of bids for pilot funding and deal with other matters as required.

6 An EQA expert will be appointed as a member of the CPA Standards Training and Education Group (STEG).


The New Arrangements: Reflections and Implications

After seven years of operating under the present arrangements it is time for change and we have achieved this by a slimming-down process shedding one Committee - the CPA(EQA) Committee - and deciding not to replace the Chief Executive for EQA.

These last seven years have been good years. The CPA(EQA) Committee has benefited from having two extremely good Chairmen in Stephen Jeffcoate and Eddie Welsh. Committee members have come and gone but all have been thoughtful, helpful, hard working and very participative which led to many lively debates over the years! I would like to thank all those who have contributed so much over the years and hope that many of them will continue to contribute either as EQA advisors or assessors.

In terms of who will be doing what under the new arrangements there are still decisions to be made but the EQA leads on the PAC have been identified; in the first instance they will be Alec Howat, Steve Boxall and the author of this piece.

I will be standing down as Chief Executive for EQA at the end of September having been in post for eight stimulating and enjoyable years, but I look forward to continuing to contribute to CPA. 


David Goldie, Chief Executive (EQA)

A Companion to 
‘A Practical Guide to Accreditation in Laboratory Medicine’ 

The January Newsletter drew attention to a book entitled ‘A Practical Guide to Accreditation in Laboratory Medicine’. There is now available, free of charge, from the ACB website www.acb.org.uk a companion to the book for use by people preparing their laboratories for accreditation against the new CPA Standards for the Medical Laboratory. After a brief introduction it consists of a series of tables cross-referencing the CPA Standards to relevant figures in the book. 

DIARY DATES 

CPA(EQA) New Standards Training Meetings

Tuesday 25 November 2003 - London
Wednesday 26 November 2003 - Birmingham
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CPA Assessor Training Courses 

Two-day courses for assessor training will be held throughout 2004 in Birmingham. Provisional dates are as follows:

13/14   January   2004
15/16   January   2004
17/18   February  2004
19/20   February  2004
11/12   March      2004
1/2       April         2004
11/12   May         2004
13/14   May         2004

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CPA Annual Conference 2004

Thursday 25 March 2004 – Royal Institute of British Architects, London

The CPA conference will be reinstated in 2004. Programme to be announced. 
If you are interested in attending please note the date in your diary now. 

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CHRISTMAS / NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS

The CPA Office will be closed as follows:

Thursday 25 December 2003 
Friday 26 December 2003
Thursday 1 January 2004
Friday 2 January 2004