Upcoming Events

See below for our list of upcoming events.

No upcoming roadshows

We are pleased that the UK NEQAS Clinical Chemistry division are holding a series of face-to-face meetings for our participants in 2025. These are in-person meetings; there is not a Teams / Zoom / Dial-in option. We will not be recording the meetings.

The meetings will focus on why EQA is important for patient safety, and where EQA data has made a real difference to patient care.

The meeting will be relevant to participants in schemes from all UK NEQAS Chemistry centres:

  • Birmingham Quality
  • Cardiac Markers
  • Edinburgh Peptide Hormones
  • Guildford Peptide Hormones
  • Guildford Trace Elements

We will be travelling around the country, to make it easy for everyone to attend one of the meetings. Dates of the meetings and links to registration are below:

Please note that while the meetings are free to attend for UK NEQAS Participants, there will be a charge for non-attendance of £100 per participant. If you register and find yourself unable to attend, please let us know and we can transfer your place to a nominated colleague.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Programme

Time Session
09:00 – 10:00 Arrival and Registration (Refreshments available)
10:00 – 10:40 Introduction: What EQA Is and What It Isn’t
Rachel Marrington
Consultant Clinical Scientist and Deputy Director
Birmingham Quality
10:40 – 11:20 Hot Topics in Routine Clinical Chemistry EQA
Finlay MacKenzie
Consultant Clinical Scientist and Director
Birmingham Quality
11:20 – 11:40 Coffee Break
11:40 – 12:20 How EQA Can Be Used to Assess Interferences in Assays
Gwen Wark
Consultant Clinical Scientist & Scheme Director
UK NEQAS Guildford Peptide Hormones and Trace Elements
12:20 – 13:00 Challenges in the Measurement of Prolactin
Catharine Sturgeon
Consultant Clinical Scientist and Director
UK NEQAS [Edinburgh] (Peptide Hormones)
13:00 – 13:50 Lunch
13:50 – 14:30 Interactive Discussion Session –
How do you review your EQA reports?
14:30 – 14:35 Coffee/Comfort Break
14:35 – 15:15 Interactive Discussion Session –
What do you look for in an EQA scheme?
15:15 – 15:30 Feedback from Interactive Discussion Sessions
15:30 – 16:00 Using EQA Data to Manage Clinical Risk
Naomi Elkin
Principal Clinical Scientist and Scheme Director
UK NEQAS Cardiac Markers
16:00 – 16:05 Close

Getting it right for the patient, are we good enough?

This webinar will be on Zoom on Tuesday 11th November between 10:00 - 13:00, and is free to attend. It is aimed at Heads of Departments and other influential stakeholders; however, everyone is welcome to attend, but you must register individually.

We will focus on what lessons, we as a profession, can learn from recent HbA1c events and the impact on the patient perspective. Real patient experiences will be used to drive a debate which we invite you to ask questions via the registration process.

Please book by midnight Sunday 9th November to secure your place!

https://forms.office.com/e/gGTKj7R0pU

Topics and Speakers include:

  • Martin Myers (GIRFT Pathology, Co-Lead)

    Is our Quality Management System too focussed on Laboratory Processes, and not enough on what decisions are being made on the results?

    How do we define what Analytical Performance Specifications are suitable for the use of a test?

  • Dr Danielle B. Freedman (Deputy Medical Director, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS FT)

    What is more important, Patients vs Laboratory Processes? (Debate)

  • Dr David Housley (Clinical Lead for Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS FT)

    The laboratory perspective, how to make best use of the resources that you already have available

  • Annette Thomas (Director, Weqas)

    Analytical Performance Specifications, who is responsible? What is suitable?

  • Finlay MacKenzie (Director, Birmingham Quality)

    ‘It's Science not magic’ and the Missing Piece in current governance

If you have any problems or queries, please contact Dr Rachel Marrington at Rachel.Marrington@uhb.nhs.uk with a subject line of 11 November Webinar.

Interpretive Comments: Clinical Biochemistry Beyond the Numbers

Join us at the Southern Region meeting on 23rd June 2025, a day focusing on interpretation of clinical biochemistry results and their impact on patient care.

We're delighted to welcome Jacqui Osypiw and Anne-Marie Kelly, from the UK NEQAS for Interpretative Comments Scheme, run from Birmingham Quality, who will take us behind the scenes and share key insights from this nationally recognised and acclaimed scheme. Finlay MacKenzie, Director of Birmingham Quality will delve into the scheme's rationale, mechanics and findings and together they will give us a full picture of its role in improving clinical interpretation.

Dr. Emma Vaux will explore the role of biochemical tests in a major Renal Unit, with some interactive case studies, while Dr. Gwen Wark will guide us through the intricacies of interpreting insulin and c-peptide results, with some real life cases.

Mark Sleeman will provide an introduction to the role of the Chief Clinical Information Officer and its importance to Pathology Networks.

The day will conclude with informal drinks to celebrate Jacqui's retirement. A perfect end to a day of learning, networking, and celebration!

Spaces are limited - book your FREE place here to avoid disappointment.

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