How Hague can help UKAS and non-accredited laboratories meet compliance standards
When testing for Covid-19 and other viruses, the professional standards of the testing facility must be beyond question. To help build confidence in testing systems, the government provides accreditation and conformity assessments – compliance with these standards is monitored through testing, inspection, and calibration.
UKAS is the National Accreditation Body in the United Kingdom for laboratory testing. While previously, most testing labs were fully accredited and provided exemplary and regulated services, the increased demand caused by Covid-19 has seen the emergence of some providers who are not yet accredited by UKAS.
At Hague, we work with both accredited and non-accredited laboratories, helping the latter move towards accreditation. Services such as pre-printed barcode outsourcing, bring quality and dependability to laboratory operations. Label replication systems can reduce the chance of human input error. Overall, our robust and reliable administrative solutions have enabled laboratories to become more efficient to meet the extra demands placed on them during the pandemic.
If you are operating an accredited laboratory ensuring correct labelling for samples, testing kits and other components is essential. Companies and members of the public need to have confidence in the services you offer and the integrity of your testing. With growing public awareness of non-accredited facilities, making sure your accredited credentials are clear will be advantageous.
Why accreditation matters
There are around 1,500 accredited laboratories in the UK across a range of sectors. The UKAS system uses a range of criteria to determine the integrity and technical competence of the laboratory. Factors relevant to a laboratory’s ability to produce precise and accurate data are measured using the internationally recognised standards ISO/IEC 17025.
Some of the factors assessed are the technical competence of staff, the testing environment, and the suitability of test equipment for the task. The test methods used must be valid and appropriate and the handling, sampling and transportation of test items needs to be assured – tracking and tracing samples is a key component of this. Good quality assurance procedures need to be in place to ensure the accuracy of test data.
This rigorous process ensures that the public can have confidence in any test results they receive.
Giving people confidence in your UKAS accredited testing facility
Labelling your samples plays a crucial role in building the trust of your customers. The labels need to remain attached to the samples and be legible throughout, often in very harsh environments such as chemicals and extreme temperatures, as well as incorporating anti-fraud elements for security. Heat resistant holograms can be included along with other sophisticated anti-fraud components that are highly technical to give your clients confidence.
At Hague, we are now also offering an extended range of healthcare solutions including printers, replicators and print & apply equipment for when you need to label in real time, helping with the challenges faced when it comes to ensuring the integrity of your services. Teaming with Labfax, our compact space saving equipment range is easy to use and can be integrated seamlessly with your LIMS system.
The Cab Axon print and apply systems have been designed specifically for consistent and careful labelling of microtubes, tubes and vials, with various common shapes and cap types in mind. Affordable and compact, the system suits laboratories where your processing is demanding too much time away from the science, but where full automation is out of reach. The choice of 300 and 600 dpi printheads can produce fine graphical detail as well as high contrast, durable print images of both 1d and 2d codes, safeguarding the integrity of your valuable samples.
Our healthcare team has over 25 years’ experience in developing innovative and trusted solutions for a variety of healthcare contexts.
Call +44 (0)1924 911 552 or email sales@hague-group.com to find out more about our products.
