Our Educational Schemes
As well as improving standards through our EQA schemes, we think that education plays a vital role in aiding the improvement of clinical and diagnostic services in the H&I field.
We currently run 3 schemes, alongside our standard EQA schemes, with the aim of improving participant’s knowledge, techniques and interpretation of H&I-related issues. The educational schemes we provide are currently free of charge*, and participants can register for them via their portal account.
Please refer to the tabs below for outlines of the schemes, and following the links within the tabs for a full description of each scheme. Please contact us below if you have any questions regarding the schemes.
*Qualifying criteria applies to schemes EDXM and ED. More information can be found via the relevant tabs below.
Having a question regarding our educational schemes?
Scheme Purpose: To provide participants with a variety of interesting samples/scenarios to test that offer a beneficial educational element.
**Note: This scheme is only available to laboratories who are registered with any other UK NEQAS for H&I EQA/EPT scheme.**
| Material | Clinical Scenarios (paper based scheme) | |
| Volume of Sample | N/A | |
| Distributions per Year | 3 | |
| No. Samples per Distribution | 1 | |
| Total Samples per Year | 3 Scenarios | |
| Assessment Options | N/A | |
| Consensus | N/A | |
| Satisfactory Performance | The educational scheme samples and scenarios are not assessed. | |
More Scheme iED Information…
Scheme Purpose: To provide participants with a variety of interesting samples/scenarios to test that offer a beneficial educational element.
**Note: This scheme is only available to participants who are also regsitered for scheme 1A, 4A1 and/or 4A2.**
|
Material |
DNA |
|
Volume of Sample |
40-100µL* |
|
Distributions per Year |
2 |
| No. Samples per Distribution |
2 |
| Total Samples per Year |
4 |
| Assessment Options |
N/A |
| Consensus |
N/A |
| Satisfactory Performance |
The educational scheme samples and scenarios are not assessed. |
*DNA concentration ≥ 0.3 µg/µL (typical range = 0.3-0.5 µg/µL)
More Scheme ED Information…
Scheme Purpose: To provide participants with a variety of interesting samples/scenarios to test that offer a beneficial educational element.
**Note: This scheme is only available to participants who are also regsitered for scheme 2A, 2B and/or 3.**
| Material | Whole Blood w/ Sera | |
| Volume of Sample | 15-20 mL (750 µL sera) | |
| Distributions per Year | 1 | |
| No. Samples per Distribution | 1 (w/ 3 sera) | |
| Total Samples per Year | 1 (w/ 3 sera) | |
| Assessment Options | N/A | |
| Consensus | N/A | |
| Satisfactory Performance | The educational scheme samples and scenarios are not assessed. | |
More Scheme EDXM Information…