Dear Participants,
Welcome back to this edition of our newsletter. We’re delighted to know that you enjoy reading our articles which are created to keep you informed, inspired, and connected to the global work we do through the provision of an EQA service. Regular participation in EQA enhances and improves the outcomes of patient management, who are at the heart and are pivotal in everything we do within laboratory medicine. It is key role for us as an EQA provider that we help and support laboratories in obtaining accurate diagnostic test results so that the fundamental principles of good quality care is a driving force that is safe and enhances a patient’s experience.
Please do continue reading the rest of this newsletter to stay informed about updates to our services and the various activities we have successfully been involved with.
As we reflect on this year’s achievements, we recognise that none of it would have been possible without your involvement. Your continued support has been the foundation of our progress and has allowed us to move forward with new ideas. Together, we have reached new milestones and set the stage for even greater success ahead. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey, we look forward to building on this success with you in the coming year!
We will be closed from 25 Dec 2025 to 5 Jan 2026 and we will return refreshed and ready for an exciting and fruitful year ahead.
Wishing all our valued participants and your loved ones a joyful and prosperous New Year.
Our annual scientific meeting was held in Central London on 28 November 2025, for participants and stakeholders. It was a successful day, attended by many delegates with interesting topics around the role of Artificial Intelligence in diagnostics, along with updates in UK NEQAS Microbiology EQAs. The UK NEQAS for Microbiology stand was manned by our experts throughout the day to answer any queries you had related to our schemes and participation.
Meeting Highlights
The meeting was chaired by Alan Noel, UK NEQAS for Antibiotic Assay, and started with an introduction from the UK NEQAS Consortium President, Barbara de la Salle, and featured a wide range of topics focused on Artificial Intelligence in laboratory practices. Highlights included talks on; Introducing metagenomics into clinical practice; Molecular diagnostics in bacteriology and virology; Combination of antibiotic plus phage – is this the future?
Summary of one of the talks, by Josephine Fitzpatrick and Ganesh Giri, UK NEQAS for Microbiology, Operations team:
Is Minimal-Intervention Testing the Future of AI-Driven Point-of-Care Diagnosis?
Professor Saumya Reni, University of Westminster
This insightful and highly useful talk highlighted how AI is transforming parasite diagnostics—from labour-intensive manual microscopy to rapid, smartphone-powered digital pathology. Traditional malaria diagnosis can take 4 days to 2 weeks and requires scanning hundreds of fields of view, whereas AI can deliver results in under 30 seconds with reduced human error and fatigue.
Professor Reni demonstrated how low-cost mobile technology can bring expert-level diagnostics into resource-limited settings, supporting the WHO’s 2030 roadmap for eliminating neglected tropical diseases. Importantly, while AI boosts speed and accuracy, human experts remain at the centre—shifting from searching for parasites to verifying digital findings.
Challenges remain in improving interpretability (XAI), ensuring offline capability for rural settings, and navigating ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements. However, the future of minimal-intervention AI diagnostics looks promising and impactful.
UK NEQAS for Microbiology and Parasitology proudly launched its Microlearning Series this summer, offering free, bite-sized sessions exclusively for registered participants. These short, focused webinars are designed to enhance professional development and support high standards in microbiology diagnostic testing.
Since June 2025, we have successfully delivered three Microlearning sessions, each attracting strong participation and delivering valuable insights:
🔬 Session Highlights
📅 Delivered live on 27 June 2025
🗣️ Presented by: Dr Sanjiv Rughooputh – Virology & Molecular Scheme Organiser
This session explored practical strategies for monitoring and improving laboratory performance, drawing strong engagement from participants across the UK and beyond.
📅 Delivered on 17 September 2025
🗣️ Presented by: Dr Jennifer Henderson – Scheme Organiser, Bacteriology & Mycology
This insightful session provided an overview of recent developments within UK NEQAS for Microbiology’s bacteriology schemes, covering:
📅 Delivered on 18 November 2025
🗣️ Presented by: Prof Andy Borman, Acting Head, UKHSA National Mycology Reference Laboratory
With high attendance, this session addressed the ongoing nomenclatural changes affecting numerous fungal species of medical importance. It explained the taxonomic rationale behind these revisions, their clinical relevance, and suggested mechanisms to mitigate unnecessary instability. Approaches to raise awareness of important changes were also discussed to minimise potential clinical confusion.
Why It Matters
The Microlearning Series reflects our commitment to supporting EQA integration for emerging technologies and collaborating with manufacturers and regulators to address challenges in assay, analyser, and kit performance.
Our Commitment
UK NEQAS for Microbiology and Parasitology continues to deliver accredited, high-quality EQA services, enabling laboratories worldwide to benchmark their performance against the highest standards.
What’s Next?
Stay tuned for the announcement of our next Microlearning session in January 2026.
📌 Interested in joining future sessions?
Register as a participant today via our website: https://ukneqasmicro.org.uk/
UK NEQAS for Parasitology hosted a study day at UK Health Security Colindale campus on 12 September 2025.
The day held a series of lectures led by Scheme Organiser for UK NEQAS for Parasitology, Professor Peter Chiodini
The day was a sell out with over 80 delegates attending.
Lectures were interesting and varied and presented by eminent scientists/clinicians in their field, covering the following topics:
‘How UK NEQAS for Parasitology sources its materials for their schemes’; ‘Using artificial intelligence to report your NEQAS samples. Fact or fiction?’; ‘Antimalarial drug resistance, a clear and present danger’; ‘The Public Health Role of UK NEQAS Parasitology’; ‘Amoebiasis. Closer to home than you think’.; ‘An update for laboratory and clinical staff’; ‘The not-so-humble threadworm – There may be trouble ahead;’ ‘One in five positive, the story of Chagas disease in the UK.’
The IBMS Congress 2025 held on 24-25 September once again proved to be a highlight of the biomedical sciences calendar, bringing together professionals, researchers, and innovators from across the globe. This year’s event was a vibrant showcase of expertise, ideas, and cutting-edge developments that continue to shape the future of our field.
Congress 2025 was packed with:
Thank You for Visiting UK NEQAS
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who stopped by the UK NEQAS stand or joined us at our poster presentations. Your engagement and curiosity make these events so valuable, and we truly appreciate the opportunity to connect with colleagues and peers.
Poster Highlights
This year, UK NEQAS for Microbiology presented a series of posters showcasing our ongoing work to strengthen diagnostic accuracy and global collaboration:
Each of these projects reflects our commitment to supporting laboratories worldwide with robust external quality assessment schemes that enhance patient care and scientific progress.
To read the posters, please visit https://ukneqasmicro.org.uk/education/posters/
We are pleased to share several important developments across our Bacteriology and Mycology programmes as we continue to enhance the quality and scope of our EQA offerings.
Historically, this scheme has consisted of two specimens from any clinical site, with the third always originating from an enteric source. Following consultation with our Steering Committee, we are pleased to announce that, as of April 2026, all three specimens will be sourced from any clinical site. This change allows us to place less emphasis on faecal specimens and broaden the clinical diversity of the material distributed.
For participants who wish to receive a higher number of enteric samples, we recommend our Faecal Pathogens Scheme.
We now include disk diffusion zone sizes reported by participants, along with the number of laboratories submitting results for each zone size. This added transparency supports participants in benchmarking their performance more effectively. We also plan to extend this approach to include MIC values in the near future.
Both schemes now incorporate method capture, with methods displayed in scheme reports. This enhancement provides clearer insight into laboratory practices and supports more meaningful comparison across participants.
β-D-glucan has been added as a new analyte within the Fungal Biomarkers Scheme. This addition remains in its pilot phase and will continue into next year as we collect further data and refine the assessment process.
Launched in 2025, this is our second EQA scheme delivered in swab format. Uptake has been strong, and the scheme is progressing well, providing valuable assessment for laboratories performing GBS screening.
We are excited to announce the launch of our new Helicobacter pylori antigen scheme, beginning April 2026. This programme will include three distributions per year, each containing two lyophilised specimens. Please refer to the accompanying flyer for further details. Helicobacter pylori scheme leaflet.
Keep an eye out for upcoming pilots in gene sequencing and digital microscopy for AFB. Further information will be shared soon…watch this space!
Accurate, reliable laboratory testing underpins effective patient care, infection prevention and public health decision-making. Through its range of External Quality Assessment (EQA) schemes, UK NEQAS for Microbiology continues to support laboratories by providing independent assurance, identifying emerging challenges, and sharing learning from real-world testing.
This update brings together recent learning points, scheme developments and upcoming initiatives across multiple programme areas.
Respiratory viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2 continue to place a significant burden on health services, particularly during the winter season. Point of care (POC) testing plays an increasingly important role in rapidly distinguishing between these infections, enabling timely clinical decision-making, appropriate infection prevention and control measures, and effective public health surveillance.
The Respiratory Viruses Point of Care EQA scheme (RV) supports this activity by assessing and improving the performance of POC testing across the network. By providing well-characterised specimens and detailed feedback, the scheme helps participants understand both the strengths and limitations of methods used in routine practice. This EQA is run in collaboration with the Worldwide Influenza Centre of the Francis Crick Institute, one of seven centres in the world responsible for analysing influenza viruses circulating in the human population, overseen by the World Health Organisation (WHO). They provide us with contemporary influenza isolates that have been identified as part of the WHO vaccines consultations exercises.
A closer look at specimen 5918D (Distribution 5918)
One illustrative example from the most recent report is specimen 5918D from Distribution 5918. Although this specimen was not scored, it provides valuable insight into differences in assay performance.
This specimen was prepared using a cultured Influenza B Victoria lineage isolate,
B/Austria/1359417/2021, a candidate vaccine virus for the development and production of
vaccines for the 2025–2026 Northern Hemisphere influenza season, provided by the
Worldwide Influenza Centre (The Francis Crick Institute).
All laboratories using molecular testing methods (100%) correctly identified the specimen as influenza B positive. In contrast, laboratories relying exclusively on antigen testing using lateral flow devices (LFDs) 88.9% reported it as negative and 3.8% returned an invalid result.
Understanding the result: sensitivity matters
This discrepancy reflects the higher analytical sensitivity of molecular testing methods compared with many antigen-based assays. While antigen assays provide speed and convenience, they are more vulnerable to low viral loads or subtle changes in specimen integrity.
During pre-distribution testing, the specimen produced positive LFD results. However, when re-tested under conditions that mimic participant receipt and storage, LFD results became negative. In practice clinical samples are stored and can be liable to degradation over time, reducing viral detectability below the LFD limit of detection while remaining detectable by more sensitive molecular assays.
Why the specimen was not scored
Specimen 5918D was excluded from scoring to ensure fair assessment. Importantly, the findings provide a valuable learning opportunity, demonstrating how assay sensitivity, specimen stability and real-world testing conditions can influence results.
The Respiratory Viruses POC EQA scheme is now fully accredited, further strengthening confidence in its robustness and governance. As winter demand increases, participation offers timely assurance of test performance and supports patient safety.
Several markers previously assessed within broader programmes have now been developed into standalone EQA schemes, simplifying participation and allowing clearer performance assessment. These include:
Please see link for more details https://ukneqasmicro.org.uk/scheme_areas/serology/
Uptake across these schemes has been promising and continues to increase with each distribution.
Performance highlights from recent reports
Scheme-specific learning
VZV serology EQA presents challenges due to the absence of an international reporting standard. While this can limit direct comparison across platforms, the EQA scheme enables meaningful benchmarking against other users of the same assay, both nationally and internationally.
The STI multiplex scheme is in its early stages and has generated strong interest. A key aim is to expand the range of isolates included, particularly for Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma, which can be difficult to source. Laboratories able to provide suitable specimens are encouraged to contact the scheme team.
Testing Changes to Existing Schemes
Blood Borne Viruses EQA scheme (HH): Expanding Molecular Testing
The Blood Borne Viruses EQA scheme now incorporate a molecular testing component to complement existing serological testing. This expansion responds to participant feedback, particularly from blood transfusion laboratories, and will support more comprehensive profiling of donated blood. The scheme now consists of additional key molecular markers central to diagnosis, monitoring and public health management:
Results from Distribution 5913 (October) demonstrate strong overall performance:
Learning from specimen 5913C – HIV RNA
Mixed results were observed for HIV RNA in specimen 5913C, reflecting a low viral load close to assay limits of detection. Variation was seen both across platforms and, in some cases, between laboratories using the same system. This highlights the impact of sensitivity thresholds, sample handling and workflow variation, and underlines the value of EQA in identifying real-world performance differences.
Parvovirus B19 and Rubella serology
The Parvovirus B19 and Rubella serology EQA scheme (FS) now includes:
For specimen 5874B (July distribution), rubella avidity results were not scored.
Pre-distribution testing confirmed that it was rubella IgG positive and rubella IgM negative across all assays. This serological profile, characterised by a positive IgG and negative IgM, should be consistent with a high IgG avidity, reflecting distant exposure to the virus through either past infection or vaccination. Antibody avidity increases over time as the immune response matures, with low avidity antibodies progressively replaced by high avidity antibodies. Pre-distribution avidity testing was equivocal, and participant submissions showed variability. Excluding the specimen from scoring ensured fairness while highlighting challenges in avidity testing and interpretation
Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) Detection Pilot
A pilot EQA distribution for Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is planned, incorporating both serological and molecular testing.
Hepatitis D virus (HDV), a defective virus that requires the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) for replication. As a result, HDV infection cannot occur in the absence of HBV infection. Co-infection with HDV and HBV is recognised as the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis, being associated with more rapid disease progression, an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, and higher rates of liver-related mortality. Vaccination against hepatitis B is therefore effective in preventing HDV infection. HDV has recently been classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). The planned pilot will align closely with the existing Hepatitis B serology EQA scheme (HB).
Assurance of HDV testing performance will support accurate diagnosis and inform appropriate clinical management for patients with HBV/HDV co-infection. The pilot distribution is planned for late 2026 or early 2027. Laboratories interested in participating are encouraged to contact the scheme team.
The 2026/27 online re-registration form for UK NEQAS for Microbiology and Parasitology will be available (for all participants except those served by Distributors*) through the secure login area of our website from 07 January 2026.
Participants can review and amend their current participation requirements (please note, if there are no changes required, submission of form is still required) confirming participation requirements for the new financial year.
Once re-registration details have been finalised the form should be submitted via the online portal.
Participants can amend the form multiple times up until the 27 February 2026. Once details are submitted, an option to print or save updated information as a record, is advised.
During the re-registration period between 07 January - 27 February 2026, participants are encouraged to make any change requests using the online form.
*Re-registration for participants served by a distributor, shall be contacted by their distributor to undertake this process.
Yours sincerely
UK NEQAS Microbiology Operations team
New distributors
UK NEQAS for Microbiology and Parasitology has recently added three new distributors to our portfolio. We are pleased to welcome:
Their details (along with our other distributors and the countries they serve) can be found on our website Distributors List - UK NEQAS Microbiology
Over the past few months, teams across UK NEQAS for Microbiology and the Food and Environmental Proficiency Testing Unit have been coming together through a range of wellbeing and community-focused activities.
The Great EQA Bake Off
We ran an eight-week Bake Off inspired by The Great British Bake Off, with staff bringing in themed homemade treats each week. It was a great way for people to show off their baking skills, spark conversation, and simply enjoy time together outside of the day-to-day routine.
The Bake Off also supported a charity close to many hearts, with donations going to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) to help fund medical aid in war-torn areas. A “star baker” was voted for each week in good spirit, adding a bit of friendly competition along the way.
Mondays soon became something to look forward to. You could see and feel the anticipation across the team, with a noticeable boost in morale, communication and overall wellbeing. It was a simple idea, but one that brought real value to the working week.
Earlier this year, our strong culture of engagement and wellbeing was recognised with a UKHSA Best Practice Award for continuous improvement in safety culture. This achievement reflects the ongoing, collective effort of our teams to embed positive behaviours, encourage open communication, and promote shared responsibility.
Staff Taking on ‘Trek’ Challenges
In August, Lewis Hull, Healthcare Scientist Specialist in Bacteriology and Mycology, took part in the Alzheimer’s Society Trek26 challenge with friends and family. The event took place in the Peak District, where Lewis completed 13 miles with around 1,700 feet of elevation, passing through Bakewell, Chatsworth House and Stoney Middleton.
Lewis described the day as a rewarding experience, with lots of shared stories and reasons for taking part. Thanks to the generosity shown on the day, over £750,000 was raised to support Alzheimer’s research and care. We would like to congratulate Lewis on this fantastic achievement.
2001
Joining UK NEQAS for Microbiology has always been a welcoming experience for new arrivals. On my first day in January 1999, my line manager made me feel supported and valued, and the entire team greeted me warmly with smiles and respect. I was embraced as part of a close-knit family where everyone looks out for each other. This culture of support and collaboration has continued to this day, creating an environment where people feel cared for and encouraged from the very beginning. Feeling welcomed on your first day is truly important.
When I started the laboratory environment was different to it is now, with some areas operating as both Containment level 3 and Containment level 2 spaces. The environment has since evolved to meet the needs in safety/best practice regulations, processes and ever-changing technology, with the main changes being merger of both virology and bacteriology functions into one larger laboratory space, creation of distinct ‘production’ areas to house automated dispensing equipment and the creation of a separate containment level 3 suite with its own in-built freeze-dryer.
Over the past 26 years, testing and technology have undergone significant advancements, including the introduction of PCR and automated systems. Previously, methods such as Chlamydia immunofluorescence required preparing thousands of slides with homogeneous ‘elementary body’ counts (confirmed by performing quality checks under a microscope). Similarly, virus identification involved growing cell lines and infecting them with viruses, monitoring for cytopathic effects, and conducting stability tests, a process that could take up to six months for a single EQA distribution. Traditional techniques like immunofluorescence, haemagglutination, and single radial haemolysis were labour-intensive and time-consuming. Today, these methods have largely been replaced by ELISA, PCR, and automated or semi-automated instruments, greatly improving efficiency and accuracy.
The department’s fax machines operated continuously, receiving participant results, with the office managing these incoming faxes and postal submissions. All participant results were manually entered into our EQA database, and reports were also manually prepared, printed and posted; a time-intensive process. It would take several hours in total to input and validate results for each distribution each month.
Over my years at UK NEQAS for Microbiology, one aspect that has not changed is the ethos of ensuring scientific education through EQA (which lies at the heart of its service). This has been undertaken through workshops, expert scientific input and reporting. I frequently supported promotion of our services through managing exhibition stands and participating in both domestic and international events, including Arab Health in UAE, ECCMID in Prague, and other major conferences.
Over the past 26 years, UK NEQAS for Microbiology has introduced numerous new schemes, adapted testing practices, and embraced technological advancements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across all operations. Despite occasional challenges, UK NEQAS for Microbiology has consistently progressed, prioritising participants and patient care while maintaining a forward-looking approach.
2025
Following a successful visit to ESCMID 2025, we are pleased to announce that we will be attending ESCMID Global in Munich, Germany, from 17–21 April 2026. You can find us at booth G84, where we look forward to welcoming delegates, as well as new/existing participants and distributors, and answering any questions you may have about our microbiology and parasitology EQA schemes.
If you would like to arrange a meeting with us at ESCMID, please email organiser@ukneqasmicro.org.uk ahead of the conference so we can ensure the relevant UK NEQAS Microbiology or Parasitology colleagues are available for an in-person discussion. We look forward to seeing you there!
We would like to take this opportunity to wish our participants, distributors, advisors, expert consultants, stakeholders, and all our staff - whose continued support helps make UK NEQAS for Microbiology and Parasitology a world-leading provider of EQA, a very happy Christmas and New Year. We hope everyone enjoys a well-earned break and the festive celebrations. We look forward to working with you all in the year ahead!
Our offices will be closed between 25 Dec 2025 to 5 Jan 2026.
In April 2024, UK NEQAS for Microbiology introduced the Respiratory Viruses (RV) Point-of-Care EQA scheme. Specimens in the scheme can contain a combination of influenza A/B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A/B, and SARS-CoV-2, all three, or negative for all. These viruses collectively are known as the ‘big three’ respiratory viruses, being the main causes of acute respiratory infections (ARIs). The scheme is distributed three times a year, with four specimens in each distribution, and is accredited to ISO/IEC 17043:2023 (Conformity assessment — General requirements for the competence of proficiency testing providers).
Point-of-Care (POC) tests have become beneficial tools in rapid patient diagnosis, including for respiratory pathogens, and the capability of their use in both clinical and community settings is a crucial aspect. The Respiratory Viruses Point-of-Care (RV) EQA scheme was launched in response to the rising use of POC assays, and its purpose is to enhance assurance in the reliability of POC assays for influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 and how they assist in clinical management of these viral infections globally.
The results of the first four distributions of the RV scheme were collated and analysed. Participant results were classed as very good across these distributions, with the lowest average accuracy of virus detection being in distribution 5709, with an average of 94.3%. As for the individual viruses used in specimens in these distributions, on seven occasions there was a 100% success rate in individual virus detection.
| Virus | Concordance of result (%) by distribution | |||
| 5636 | 5709 | 5757 | 5846 | |
| Influenza | 95.3 | 99.0 | 97.2 | 100 |
| RSV | 96.5 | 100 | 97.4 | 97.4 |
| SARS-CoV-2 | 99.2 | 99.1 | 100 | 100 |
| Overall average | 97.0 | 99.4 | 98.2 | 99.1 |
Table 1. Concordance of participants’ results for the first four distributions of the RV EQA scheme, using molecular methods for the detection of the three respiratory viruses.
| Virus | Concordance of result (%) by distribution | |||
| 5636 | 5709 | 5757 | 5846 | |
| Influenza | 96.0 | 99.0 | 100 | 100 |
| RSV | 100 | 98.9 | 90.2 | 97.9 |
| SARS-CoV-2 | 92.9 | 85.1 | 94.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall average | 96.3 | 94.3 | 94.8 | 98.5 |
Table 2. Concordance of participants’ results for the first four distributions of the RV EQA scheme, using antigen assays for the detection of the three respiratory viruses.
Accuracy favoured molecular methods over antigen assays; participants scored 97% to 99.4% accuracy on average for molecular methods, compared to 94.3% to 98.5% accuracy on average for antigen assays. One result which illustrates this point is specimen 8855 in distribution 5709; the SARS-CoV-2 concordance rate when using antigen assays was 40.5%, compared to a 100% concordance rate when the same specimen was tested using molecular methods. Another specimen which proved challenging to analyse on antigen assays was from distribution 5757 (specimen 9011), where only 39.1% of participants correctly reported the specimen as RSV positive, compared to 89.5% of participants who reported it as RSV positive when using molecular methods.
It was determined that for specimens deemed more challenging, perhaps due to their diluted viral load or variant strain (e.g. Omicron BA.2), participants using molecular methods conveyed more successful detection rates compared to participants using antigen assays. This was the case for the two specimens mentioned above. Also, some antigen assays unable to detect particular viral strains, or with a lack of sensitivity, could give rise to incorrect or false negative results, which ultimately could affect patients.
Across all distributions of the RV scheme so far, overall performance from participating laboratories has been very good, indicating high diagnostic accuracy. With antigen assays regularly being outperformed by molecular methods in detecting low viral loads in specimens, this highlights the importance of method selection for accurate diagnosis. Awareness of the RV scheme has been increasing, with participant numbers steadily rising over the distributions.
We look forward to having even more participating laboratories in the scheme next year!
On 11 July 2025, EQA Services, Colindale, were announced as WINNERS at the UKHSA Health and Safety Best Practice Awards for their innovative approach to improving safety culture.
A People-Centred Approach to Safety
Led by the Health and Safety Coordinator, the team focused on a creative, people-centred approach to building a stronger safety culture. They worked to boost safety awareness, wellbeing, and morale through a mix of engaging safety and wellbeing communications and activities.
The EQA Safety Newsletter was central to this success. It was a monthly feature that offered bite-sized content on tailored workplace safety tips, lessons learned from incidents and near misses, and seasonal wellbeing advice. Each edition included interactive elements such as puzzles, quizzes, and games to keep content fresh and engaging.
Engagement Highlights
Alongside the newsletter, the team organised:
Panel & Corporate Health & Safety Feedback
The Awards Panel highlighted how well the initiative embraced safety culture principles, especially through the EAST framework by recognising that people respond best when things are Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely.
“Genuinely boosted morale and raised H&S awareness.” – UKHSA Awards Panel
The Corporate Health & Safety Team commended how wellbeing was embedded into the department’s safety agenda, keeping safety visible and relevant all year through regular newsletters and campaigns, reinforcing continuous learning.
“Maintained high visibility of safety topics through regular newsletters and campaigns.” – Corporate H&S Team
A Model for Others
This award recognises and reinforces EQA Services’ dedication to making safety engaging, accessible, and part of everyday working life and setting a model for other departments within UKHSA to follow.
Image: Group photo of EQA Services team holding the Best Practice award and certificate.
Our EQA team had the privilege of hosting colleagues from Zambia, who joined us to gain deeper insight into how External Quality Assessment is structured, delivered, and continuously improved in our bacteriology programmes. Their visit was not only an opportunity for them to learn, but also a valuable reminder of the broader educational role we all play in strengthening laboratory systems globally.
The visit included observation of core laboratory processes from specimen preparation and distribution logistics to data analysis and participant feedback. We also shared the operational and strategic planning that underpins the successful delivery of EQA- everything from scheme design and ISO accreditation to stakeholder engagement and sustainability.
For those of us working in EQA, it’s easy to become focused on the day-to-day running of schemes. Visits like this encourage us to take a step back and reflect on the depth of knowledge, experience, and infrastructure that goes into delivering high-quality EQA. It also highlights the importance of mentorship and knowledge-sharing in building strong, resilient laboratory systems elsewhere.
As professionals committed to quality in diagnostics, we know that EQA is not just about performance monitoring- it’s a tool for education, system improvement, and ultimately better patient care. Supporting colleagues from other countries enhances both our own practice and theirs and helps build global networks of quality and trust.
We are proud to have been part of this collaborative effort and look forward to continued exchange and shared learning in the future.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) remains a major global health concern, causing severe respiratory disease in infants, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. As RSV vaccines progress and genomic surveillance becomes increasingly essential, the ability to monitor viral evolution with high-quality laboratory data has never been more important.
To strengthen global RSV monitoring, the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with UK NEQAS for Microbiology, has expanded its international RSV surveillance programme to include an external quality assessment (EQA) component for whole genome sequencing (WGS).
In 2024, a pilot WGS module was launched involving 21 laboratories from around the world that consisted of 3 specimens (2524, 2525 and 2526) containing RSV isolates that were freeze-dried as part of WHO RSV EQA Distribution 5791.
Participants were required to sequence the specimens and report on lineage assignment and sequencing quality metrics.
The sequencing pipeline and analytical framework were co-developed with Cranfield University, merging international laboratory performance evaluation with leading academic bioinformatics expertise. This collaborative effort produced a robust workflow from specimen processing and sequencing to data analysis and benchmarking applied in the WHO RSV EQA Distribution 5791.
Performance Highlights
Lineage Assignment
Participants demonstrated strong concordance with reference sequences:
These results reflect high competency across global laboratories in RSV subtyping and lineage determination.
Sequencing Quality Metrics
Quality indicators showed good overall performance with areas for further improvement:
These findings highlight variable sequencing depth and genome completeness—key aspects for ongoing capacity strengthening.
Conclusion
Data collation, analysis, and quality control for the pilot were led by UK NEQAS for Microbiology in collaboration with Cranfield University. The RSV WGS EQA platform successfully evaluated laboratory performance, demonstrating strong subtyping accuracy while also identifying areas where standardisation, training, and technical optimisation will further enhance results.
This initiative represents an important milestone in global efforts to build and harmonise pathogen genomics (PG) capability. By establishing a standardised WGS EQA model for RSV, the collaboration paves the way for future genomic assessment programmes across a range of respiratory viruses supporting reliable, high-quality molecular surveillance worldwide.
For further information please visit our website: https://ukneqasmicro.org.uk/education/posters/
