Update - UKAS 60.pdfCouncil (EGAC) of the Arab Republic of Egypt. It was noted that it is planned to relocate the EA Secretariat’s office in Paris in early 2011. Proposals to revise

UpdateUnited Kingdom Accreditation Service Newsletter

March 2011

Issue 60

Montenegro hoststhe EA General Assembly

page 02

Think Tank 2010Less government –better outcomes?

page 04

Accreditation forCrime Scene Investigation

page 11

Three Diagnostic Imaging Services Awarded ISAS Pages 8-10

The General Assembly discussed a wide

range of topics that are important for

the continued growth and development

of EA as the official accreditation

infrastructure in Europe. A revision of

the Articles of Association and Rules of

Procedure was agreed, to build upon an

earlier revision completed in December

2009.

The General Assembly discussed the

outline EA Strategy for the years 2010-

2015, and mandated the Executive

Committee to implement the proposals

taking into account the various comments

made at the meeting.

It was agreed to sign a Framework

Partnership Agreement and Operating

Grant Agreement with the European

Free Trade Association (EFTA). In order

to support both this and the parallel

agreements with the European

Commission, internal processes and

procedures of EA were also agreed.

The General Assembly resolved that ISO

14065 (Greenhouse gases – Requirements

for greenhouse gas validation and

verification bodies for use in accreditation

or other forms of recognition) is identified

as a new standard within the EA

Multilateral Agreement and that the

EA Horizontal Harmonisation Committee

and the EA Multilateral Agreement

Council start work as necessary to

include the new activity and to prepare

for the peer-evaluation process.

Montenegro hosts theEA General Assembly

02 Update March 2011 www.ukas.com

The Members of EA also considered the

outcomes of the recent ILAC and IAF

General Assemblies, and where necessary,

passed resolutions to reinforce the

implementation of these within the

European accreditation region. Of

particular note were the IAF Resolutions

2010–09 (IAF/ISO Joint Communiqué on

Expected Outcomes for Accredited

Certification to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001)

and 2010–10 (IAF/ISO Joint Communiqué

on Certification to ISO 26000). The

General Assembly also noted the

resolutions of ILAC and IAF that agree

that the responsibility for the scope of

inspection be transferred from a joint

IAF/ILAC activity to ILAC alone.

Other topics considered by the General

Assembly included:

� A Contract of Cooperation was signed

with the Egyptian Accreditation

The 26th General Assembly of the European cooperation for Accreditation was held in Budva,Montenegro on 24 and 25 November 2010. Montenegro is now an official candidatecountry of the European Union and its accreditation body, ATCG, will be eligible to becomean Associate Member of EA during 2011. The meeting was formally opened by the then Minister of Economy of Montenegro, Mr Branko Vujovic. UKAS Chief Executive PaulStennett participated on behalf of UKAS.

Council (EGAC) of the Arab Republic

of Egypt.

� It was noted that it is planned to

relocate the EA Secretariat’s office in

Paris in early 2011.

� Proposals to revise EA documents

EA-3/01: Conditions for Use of

Accreditation Symbols and Reference

to MLA Signatory Status, and EA-2/05:

The Scope of Accreditation and

Consideration of Methods and Criteria

for the Assessment of the Scope in

Testing, were approved.

� The General Assembly endorsed a

new work item to prepare a guidance

document on Witnessing Practices for

Management System Certification.

The next meeting of the EA General

Assembly will be held in Berlin in May 2011.

Budva old town

www.ukas.com Update March 2011 03

UKAS Director recognised in New YearHonours List

UKAS has decided to review the AdvisoryCommittees that exist to support theaccreditation activities in the area ofManagement System Certification. As a result the decision has been taken todissolve the existing committees for QMSand EMS, QMSAC and EMSAC, and replacethem with a single technical advisorycommittee to support the accreditationof management system certificationbodies. The scope of the new committeewill be broader and will cover all the activities that are accredited underISO/IEC 17021. The committee will alsoestablish specific task groups and subcommittees where necessary to supportspecific management system areas

Technical Advisory Committees for Management System Certification

Dr Jane Beaumont, Director of Accreditation at UKAS, has been appointed as MBE in the New Year Honours list. The citation for the award,for services to industry, recognises theenthusiasm, determination and technicalability that Jane has brought to UKASand its predecessor organisations. Itmentions in particular that Jane hasbeen at the forefront of developing innovative uses for accreditation, particularly in support of Governmentand the wider public sector, such ashealthcare, the national DNA databaseand forensic science.

On hearing news of her award, Janesaid: “I am delighted and privileged toreceive this award. It is a recognition ofthe hard work and commitment of allUKAS staff in delivering the UK’s nationalaccreditation service. Accreditation isan increasingly important part of thebusiness support infrastructure in theUK, helping to deliver confidence ingoods and services. This award also acknowledges the growing influenceand recognition of accreditation acrossall industry and business sectors as wellas in many other aspects of everyday life.”

Jane began her career working as afood analyst, before conducting doctoraland post-doctoral research at the RoyalBotanic Gardens, Kew and Kings College,London. She joined one of UKAS’ predecessor organisations as TechnicalOfficer in 1987. Since then Jane hasprogressed to fulfilling the role of Director of Accreditation with overallresponsibility for the delivery of established accreditation services andthe development of new areas of accreditation. She has provided adviceand training to emerging accreditationbodies overseas, as well as contributingto the development of European andinternational guidance on accreditationapproaches in different technical areas.Jane was appointed Director of Accreditation in 2005 and is an Executive member of the UKAS Board.

Lord Lindsay, UKAS Chairman said “I am delighted that Jane’s sterling workin helping to develop accreditationboth in the UK and abroad has beenrecognised. UKAS as a whole can alsotake pride in this award, as it reflectswhat has been achieved by staff at alllevels and on all fronts.”

where there is a need to focus on issuesunique to that particular area of management system certification, forexample EMS and EMAS.

The new Technical Advisory Committeewill be established in accordance withUKAS procedures and UKAS will ensurethat we have adequate technical expertise within the group as well as abalanced representation of interestedparties. We are currently in the processof drafting the Terms of Reference forthe Committee and determining themembership. Further information willbe available on the UKAS website overthe coming months.

Dr Jane Beaumont MBE


At the event, attended by an invited audience of senior government and business contacts, threekeynote speakers were asked to consider howthe spending review and related issues of reducing regulation and bureaucracy might leadto the greater use of alternative measures suchas accreditation, inspection and certification.

The challenge of changeKate Marshall, Deputy Director, Strategy Unit, Cabinet Office,focused on the challenge that government faces when tacklingpressing policy issues, and how few can be addressed withoutthinking about the behaviour of individuals. Behavioural economics and behavioural science had provided valuable insights into why individuals don’t always behave as perfectly‘rational’ human beings. Marshall invited the audience toconsider how difficult it sometimes is to achieve a seeminglysimple and ultimately beneficial personal goal, like increasingour savings, or keeping up a fitness regime.

Marshall said Governments often consider regulation when thelong-term wellbeing of individuals or the wider communitycould be at risk. In responding to these situations, she confirmed the Coalition’s desire to develop policies that wereless intrusive and imposed fewer costs on both business andsociety. Understanding how people behave and make decisions,and finding innovative ways to help ‘nudge’ individuals intomaking better, more informed choices were at the heart ofthe Government’s policy agenda.

Devolved power: the need for specific limits andclear accountabilityLord Bichard, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government,drew upon his experience in local and central government tofocus on the need for intelligent solutions. In particular hewas concerned about the risks that overly detailed and prescriptive targets can represent – but he also highlightedthe need to pass responsibility out from the centre and awayfrom specialist silos.

He saw successful government as one that is focused on outcomes rather than inputs and one that ensures accountability is spread logically. He emphasised the need toredesign the service not the structure. He speculated thatless government is successful when it recognises the benefitsof early intervention and prevention, and places the responsibility for this close to the ‘coal face’.

Transformational rather than transactional changeThe final presentation from Sarah Veale, Head of Equalityand Employment Rights at the TUC, came to a similar conclusion to the previous speakers, but from a slightly different view point. Focusing on the needs of employeesand consumers as the potential beneficiaries of less government – she started by highlighting the risks this mayrepresent – particularly the laws of unexpected consequences.Regulation can be removed, but only where there is an alternative solution and good buy-in from the relevant parties. The most successful route to lessening governmentis to encourage and set regulations that are led and implemented from the grass roots up.

The ‘one in, one out’ approach was discussed as an opportunity to reduce poorly functioning and unnecessaryregulations. The speaker liked the concept but highlightedthe difficulty in achieving this, asking whether the kudos ofremoving legislation becomes as recognised as that of

Less government –better outcomes?Lord Lindsay, UKAS Chairman, posed this question at a recent UKASThink Tank event that considered the likely impact of the coalition Government’s interest in de-centralisation and reducing regulation.

2010 Think Tank


Kate Marshall Lord Bichard Lord LindsaySarah Veale

making it. There would also need to be a clear measurementby which the replacement is marked against the outgoingregulation, in order to ensure it is ‘better’. The same systemof measurement is needed to ensure the strategies beingconsidered as an alternative to regulation are actually an improvement. The use of accreditation and standards hasproved effective, but they are not suitable for every area. Inpromoting alternatives to regulation, it is vital to ensure thatone onerous mechanism is not simply replaced by another.

The influence of the mediaKey points raised in the open discussion highlighted the roleof the media in influencing judgement, both for and againstregulation. Illustrations of this were the typical labelling ofnew regulations as ‘nanny state’, compared with campaignsfor action when things go wrong – such as the demand forthe regulation of dangerous dogs. The consensus was thatgovernment should have a tool kit of approaches whichshould be used in consultation with all interested parties.

SummarySumming up the debate, Lord Lindsay concluded that there was general agreement that better outcomes can beachieved with less government intervention provided thatcare is taken over what fills the void. A menu or package approach that matches the right solution to the problemshould be the preferred route with standards and accreditationbeing considered as a valuable part of this multi-layered approach. He thought there was a clear message that theoutcome or value of a proposed solution should be the over-riding focus, rather than the process involved in implementing it. But also an understanding that, if the rightbalance can be achieved, it will be to the benefit of Government, business and society as a whole. Lord Lindsaywent on to assure those present that UKAS would continue to discuss with a wide range of government contacts how accreditation could make a greater contribution to the deliveryof policy in these straightened times. He was encouragedthat departments and agencies were increasingly turning toUKAS for help with a number of new policy initiatives.

UKAS Think Tanks are organised, with the support of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, as part of theAccreditation Awareness Campaign.


The need for the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) togain feedback from users of accredited services has been along-standing issue for the IAF,and so a task force within theIAF Communications & Marketing Committee (CMC)was set up to launch an onlinesurvey. The survey aims to provide valuable insight into thedrivers for certification, the importance of accreditation, andthe value of the (MultilateralMutual Recognition Arrangement) MLA.

The survey was launched in over 55

countries by Graham Talbot, Chair ofthe IAF CMC, at the Joint General

Assembly in Shanghai on October 28.

Accreditation Bodies have been sent a

link to the survey together with

instructions for promoting it in the local

economy, including a letter template to

send to Certification Bodies to encourage

onward distribution.

The survey will be promoted on the

(International Laboratory Accreditation

Cooperation) ILAC, IAF and Regions’

websites, and ISO CASCO has also

agreed to promote it.

The survey will last for one year (closing

1 September 2011) and the results will

be presented during the annual ILAC

and IAF meetings to be held in Bangkok

in November 2011.

Global launch of IAF End User Survey

If you would like to complete the survey

please click on the link http://ukas.iafcertification.sgizmo.comThe survey should take no longer than

5 minutes to complete and your feedback

is gratefully received.

For further information, please contact

Jon Murthy, IAF CMC Secretary([email protected]).


For some time UKAS has acted

on behalf of various UK

Government Departments/

Agencies and other Authorities

in the assessment of

organisations wishing to be

appointed as Notified Bodies

for conformity assessment

activities for many of the EU

New Approach Directives.

In response to a EU decision on a

common framework for this marketing

of products, a project is now underway

to change the way in which such

Notified Bodies are assessed for their

conformity assessment activities. In

future, conformity assessment bodies

that wish to become Notified bodies

will, in general, need to be accredited

in accordance with the relevant ISO/IEC

17000 or EN 4500 services standard

and other Normative and Guidance

documents; this represents a significant

change in the process of appointing

Notified Bodies and will help ensure an

ongoing consistent and common

approach across all Member States.

UKAS has established a Steering Group

for the project, involving, Competent

Authorities and Notified Body

Changes to the Assessment of Notified Bodies

representatives to implement and

control this change over a two year

transition period. The Steering Group is

considering various aspects including

the allocation of Accreditation

Standards to each EU Directive, and the

process for recommending and

approving appointments.

This change is taking place across

Europe and UKAS has recognised the

need to ensure that the approach taken

in the UK is equivalent to that used in

other EU member states and ongoing

communication is included within the

transition programme.

For further information please contact

Kevin Belson, Technical Manager([email protected]).

The European Parliament building – Brussels


Three Diagnostic Imagin UKAS is delighted by the success of three very different diagnostic imaging s The Cobalt Unit Appeal Fund (Cheltenham Imaging Centre), 4 Ways H were all successfully able to demonstrate to UKAS assessment teams conform were formally presented with their ISAS certificates at separate presentation

The Cobalt Unit Appeal Fund (Cheltenham Imaging Centre) became the very first diagnosticimaging service provider to be accredited by UKAS against theISAS Standard in early November2010. The medical charity has over40 years experience delivering imaging services to NHS, private,and medical insurance clients.Cobalt successfully achieved their accreditation one year on from formally applying for ISAS. The accreditation covers imaging activities delivered at the Cheltenham site and also mobile units.

In recommending Cobalt’s accreditation,

the assessment team commended

Cobalt for employing the very latest

state of the art technology and excellent

facilities. During the assessment

members of the local community

described Cobalt’s staff as passionate,

enthusiastic and approachable and were

very appreciative of the excellent

resources available to them locally.

At a special ceremony held at Cobalt’s

site in Cheltenham last year Lord JamieLindsay, UKAS Chairman, said: “UKAS isdelighted to participate in this event

which acknowledges the tremendous

efforts made by all parties to achieve

the first UKAS accreditation to the ISAS

Standard. By participating in the

accreditation process, Cobalt has not

only shown its willingness to be open

and transparent, but also that it is

constantly working to develop and

improve both clinical and patient-

related outcomes.”

Peter Sharpe, Chief Executive, Cobalton accepting the Service’s certificate

said: “This is a very proud moment for

all of us at Cobalt. Staff worked hard to

achieve the ISAS accreditation, the

process has been rigorous and

challenging; it has helped us develop

and improve services and also put

in place a system for continual review

and development. It is with great

pleasure that we accept the ISAS

Accreditation Certificate. We are also

delighted to be the first ISAS accredited

organisation, confirming that we provide

a patient focused safe and efficient

diagnostic imaging service.”

In attendance at the ceremony were

principal attendees from the owners of

ISAS, The College of Radiographers (CoR)

and The Royal College of Radiologists

(RCR), the wider healthcare sector,

dignitaries from Cobalt’s local community,

and UKAS.

During a series of speeches, Dr JaneBarrett, RCR President commented onthe future for ISAS accreditation, said:

“We congratulate Cobalt on its

accreditation. We look forward to the

accreditation of further diagnostic

imaging services across the UK,

highlighting radiology as a specialty

leading on the highest standards of

service provision and a real focus on

quality improvement.”

Lord Lindsay, UKAS Chairman, presents the accreditation certificate to Peter Sharpe, Chief Executive, Cobalt Unit Appeal Fund


g Services Awarded ISAS service providers that have achieved UKAS accreditation to the ISAS Standard.

Healthcare Ltd and The Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust mity to the rigorous requirements of the ISAS Standard. All three organisations ns to celebrate their achievements.

On receiving the organisation’s certificate

Dr Sanjiv Agarwal, Chief Executive, 4 Ways

Healthcare, said: “I am exceptionally

proud in achieving this accreditation

and believe it is testament to the hard

work and diligence of our team. We

have always shown a commitment to

achieving the highest quality of radiology

reporting; our clinical governance and

rigorous recruitment process are central

to this commitment. Preparation for

the ISAS assessment helped our

organisation step back and look at our

processes objectively, subjecting them

to increased scrutiny. We feel that

positive improvements have been made

to our internal processes and service

provision by taking part in the assessment

and aligning our processes and policies

with the ISAS Standard. Now we have

been accredited against the ISAS Standard,

we have a high degree of confidence

that we will comply with all other

regulatory requirements, including The

Care Quality Commissions requirements.”

Highlighting the increasing importance

of accreditation in a changing health

environment, Professor Audrey Patterson, SCoR Director of ProfessionalPolicy said. “It is great to see the first

ever accreditation under ISAS. In the

context of changes in commissioning of

health care in England and of continuing

scrutiny of quality care in all parts of the

UK, it is more than ever appropriate that

diagnostic imaging services are able to

objectively demonstrate high standards

of delivery. The core involvement of

patients in the ISAS accreditation process

adds even greater value to Cobalt’s

achievement.”

Paul Stennett, Chief Executive,UKAS presented Dr Sanjiv Agarwal,Chief Executive, 4 Ways HealthcareLtd and the team, the organisation’scertificate at their headquarter sitein Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.4 Ways Healthcare is a medicallyled specialist diagnostic reportingservice currently working with morethan 50 NHS organisations withinprimary and secondary care, delivering more than 100,000 reportsin 2010. The accreditation coversthe reporting activities deliveredfrom their headquarter site.

The assessment team commended the

organisation for their rapid turn-around

times, sub-speciality reporting and

rigorous quality assurance.

Continued on page 10

Paul Stennett, UKAS Chief Executive, presents the accreditation certificate to Dr Sanjiv Agarwal,Chief Executive, 4 Ways Healthcare seen here with Winifred Morley, Quality Manager, 4 WaysHealthcare


The Blackpool Teaching HospitalsNHS Trust became the first NHSprovider, and early implementersite to be accredited against theISAS Standard. Dr Kane,Consultant in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, BlackpoolTeaching Hospitals NHS Trust accepted the certificate from Paul Stennett, Chief Executive,UKAS, the CoR and the RCR at theRCR’s headquarters in London.

The organisation has a staffing complement of about 4,500 serving apopulation of approximately 330,000residents across Blackpool, Fylde andWyre and almost 12 million holidaymakerswho visit the area every year. The accreditation covers a range of services: computerised tomography; magneticresonance imaging; mammography;PACS, radiography; radiology nursing;teleradiology; therapeutic radiologyprocedures, and ultrasound deliveredacross the Trusts five sites: Blackpool Victoria Hospital; Fleetwood Hospital;Clifton Hospital; Whitegate Health Centre;and Lytham Primary Care Centre.

In recommending the accreditation the assessment team commended theTrust on its proactive approach to serviceimprovements highlighting a range ofgood practice in service delivery, innovative skills mix and high levels ofimplementation of staff appraisals.

On hearing the news of their award, Dr Graham Hoadley, Consultant Radiologist and National Clinical Leadfor Service Improvement, said: "We areso pleased at receiving this ISAS accreditation and particularly proud tobe the first radiology/diagnostic imagingservice to do so within the NHS. Thisconfirms the high standards of care delivered by our team. We have a longhistory of effective service improvements

in radiology/diagnostic imaging andthis is a well deserved reward for all ourefforts. We are passionate about givingour patients peace of mind when makinguse of our services, and we believe thatwith this accreditation we can nowdemonstrate this commitment betterthan ever."

Dr Tony Nicholson, Vice-Presidentand Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Radiology, RCR commented: “BlackpoolTeaching Hospitals NHS Trust can bevery proud of being at the forefront ofaccreditation. Patients can be very surethat when they enter the radiology/diagnostic imaging departments inBlackpool they will receive a safe firstclass service.”

Richard Evans, Chief Executive, SCoRadded: “This accreditation recognisesnot only a great deal of work but alsomany years of commitment by thewhole team towards developing andpromoting quality diagnostic imagingservices. It is particularly timely for thefirst NHS based service to gain accreditation. As the pathfinder GPcommissioning consortia begin to explore how to obtain the best services

for patients, Trusts such as Blackpoolthat can demonstrate objective qualitymeasures should be obvious choices forcommissioners and patients alike.”

Accreditation of these three very different diagnostic imaging serviceproviders demonstrates the flexibility ofthe ISAS Standard to objectively assessgood practice, and that different organisations are able to deliver highquality patient focused care and continuous improvement.

Since ISAS’ launch in June 2009 manyimaging services, both public and private, have applied for assessment,and we are pleased to report further organisations are in the applicationprocess.

For further information about the accredited imaging services and aboutISAS visit: www.isas-uk.org

Three Diagnostic Imaging ServicesAwarded ISAS continued

Dr Tony Nicholson, Vice-President & Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Radiology, RCR; Dr Kane,Consultant in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; RichardEvans, CEO, SCoR and Paul Stennett, UKAS Chief Executive


UKAS is running a pilot programmewith selected applicants to test-out the assessment methodologiesduring the pilot phase. This willpermit development of the schemeon an ongoing basis. Once finalised,the assessment methodologies willthen be applied in a similar mannerto all other bodies subsequentlyseeking accreditation in this area.

The pilot bodies will be subject to the

same rigorous assessments as for all

UKAS assessment activities, but there

may be a requirement for additional

assessment effort within the pilot if

identified as essential to ensure a robust

assessment process and an accredited

inspection service that satisfies the

demanding requirements placed upon

it by the UK’s criminal justice system.

All pilot bodies fully satisfying the pilot

and accreditation criteria will be granted

accreditation on the same date.

Accreditation has underpinned quality

assurance of forensic analysis for almost

20 years, ensuring confidence of analysis

of samples and results produced in the

laboratory. However, until now the

examination of, and collection of materials

from crime scenes has not been

covered by accreditation. Accredited

examination and collection of materials

from crime scenes will provide

additional confidence in the integrity

and chain of custody of the materials

being collected.

Accreditation demonstrates the technical

competence and the impartiality and

integrity of the organisations offering

scene of crime investigation services.

UKAS accreditation offers transparent

solutions that deliver:

Public trust: confidence that forensicand forensic related activities are carried

out impartially and competently.

One stop shop: accreditation has abroad application across the Home

Office, the Police service and Government

as a whole, covering multiple sectors

Accreditation for Crime Scene Investigation

and multiple disciplines in a consistent

way.

Cost reduction: organisations operatingefficiently and effectively with oversight

by UKAS, reduce the need for regulators

or organisations to establish their own

assessment and approval activities.

For further information on the pilot

scheme please visit:

http://www.ukas.com/media-centre/

news/news-archive/2010/ISO_IEC

_17020_for_Crime_Scene_

Investigation.asp

To progress accreditation in the crime scene investigation area, UKAS, together with other key stakeholders, has developed a project plan to identifythe internal and external arrangements necessary to facilitate the assessmentand accreditation of applicant inspection bodies to ISO/IEC 17020.


UKAS BrochuresUKAS is recognised in many sectors ranging from Asbestos, Chemicals, Explosives, Food,

Forensics, Healthcare, Toys to Water. To help UKAS emphasise the importance of

accreditation and enhance the awareness of accreditation in different sectors, UKAS has

developed a wide range of brochures.

All these brochures are available to download in PDF from the UKAS website

http://www.ukas.com/media-centre/promotional-material-and-downl/brochures.asp

A high resolution print PDF can be requested by email to [email protected]

Why we matter

What we do

Who we are

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)

Do you use certification, testing,calibration or inspection services?

If so…

save time and money by using UKAS-accredited services

UKAS-accredited services – a guide for small to medium businesses

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service

Who is doing your calibration work?

Are you confident that your goods and services and their component parts arebased on measurements taken with correctly calibrated measuring equipment?

CoConDeliliveve fif didencece

eririning

The influence and use of UKAS accreditation

continues to grow across a wide range of

areas to support the delivery of informed

and effective purchasing, good governance

and public confidence. As pressure on

finances continues to build, accreditation

is increasingly being seen as an effective

way for purchasers to deliver ‘more for less’.

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service

(UKAS), as the national accreditation body,

is the only body recognised by Government,

to assess and declare the competence of

organisations against internationally

The need to drive up the quality of care for patients, whilst deliveringefficiency and productivity, is a key principle for commissioners ofhealthcare services. UKAS accreditation is a tool that can be used tosupport the commissioning of healthcare services that are safe, effectiveand that continually improve the experience for patients.

recognised standards. In response to a

new European Regulation (Regulation

EC 765/2008), UKAS has been formally

appointed as the National Accreditation

Body providing for the first time, a legal

basis for accreditation.

UKAS is becoming increasingly active in

the Healthcare sector. Details of areas

supported by UKAS accreditation are given

in this briefing. When commissioning

services in these areas, be sure to specify

UKAS-accredited services.

UKAS AccreditationA BRIEFING FOR COMMISSIONERS OF HEALTHCARE SERVICE S

Accreditation is absolutelyessential to ensure qualityof supply”

Lord Carter of Coles, Chair, The Independent Review of NHS

Pathology Services

Accreditation: Underpinning QualityHealthcare Commissioning

Diagnostic Imaging

UKAS has been appointed by the College of

Radiographers and the Royal College of Radiologists

to manage and deliver a UK-wide imaging services

accreditation scheme (ISAS). Under the scheme,

jointly developed by the Colleges in collaboration

with other health professionals and patients’

representatives, imaging services are assessed

against agreed standards for quality, patient-

focused care and continuous improvement.

The scheme focuses on the delivery of high quality

care for patients by professional staff working in a

safe environment. The process of accreditation

involves peer review against agreed standards and

criteria supported by expert specialist advice and

input from patient representatives. UKAS

accreditation provides confidence in the quality

and consistency of the imaging services delivered

across the health sector.

Health information standard

UKAS has developed accreditation for certification to the new Department of Health

Information Standards. The standard sets down

criteria for organisations providing written or scripted

medical based patient information. Many different

kinds of organisations produce health and social

care information, for a wide range of communities.

This standard has been developed to provide

reassurance that the health and social care

information they access comes from a reliable

source. It has also been designed to raise the

general standard of information provided. Once an

organisation has been assessed and certified against

the Information Standard by a UKAS accredited

certification body, the organisation will be able to

display the Information Standard Quality Mark on

their information materials so people searching for

health and social care information can easily identify

it as coming from a reliable, trustworthy source.

Accreditation in action: Accreditation in action:

“

UKAS Corporate brochure Guide for small to medium businesses Calibration services

Imaging Services Accreditation Scheme Healthcare commissioning


For further information visit www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos and www.ukas.com

The accreditation process determines the technical competence and integrity of organisations providing inspection, testing, calibrationand certification services.

UKAS is the sole national accreditation body, recognised by Government,to assess these types oforganisations against international standards. Itprovides an independent andauthoritative declaration thatthe organisation carrying outthe survey has the people,facilities, technical expertise,management systems andtrack record to undertakethe activity professionallyand competently.

“HSE strongly recommends the useof an accredited surveyor.”

There are many companies that provide consultancyand surveying services, sometimes at what initiallyappears to be at low cost. However, before commissioning an organisation to undertake suchwork it is important to consider the risks:

Accreditation:Ensuring technicalcompetence

The HSE is responsible for enforcing compliance

with the regulations and penalties are awarded

to persons who fail to ensure the safety of their

staff and others present on site.

Selecting an organisation accredited by

the United Kingdom Accreditation Service

(UKAS) will ensure that you are appointing a

competent surveying organisation that will

understand and meet your requirements.

� Are you confident that the organisation has the technical competence to undertake the workin question?

� Are you satisfied that the organisation has the resources to do the work?

� Are the surveyors working to suitable codes of conduct to ensureinspections are carried out impartially and with integrity?

� Are you confident that the organisation has an adequate quality system in place?

� Are you satisfied that safeguards are in place, e.g. suitable liability insurance, in case difficulties arise?

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006

(CAR 2006) and more specifically Regulation 4:

Duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic

properties sets a legal requirement for owners

and occupiers of non-domestic buildings to

carry out a suitable assessment to determine

whether asbestos is present or liable to be

present.

Who should you commission to carry out your surveys for asbestos?

For further information visit www.ukas.com and www.mcerts.net

As an operator with a permit from the EnvironmentAgency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations(EPR), you will be aware that it requires you to ensure themonitoring of process emissions is performed correctlyto ensure your emissions are within the permitted limits.

Where third party organisations are used to conduct thismonitoring, it is an Environment Agency requirementthat the organisation holds accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025for MCERTS for the monitoring being performed.

Many organisations provide stack

emissions monitoring services.

Selecting a company accredited by

the United Kingdom Accreditation

Service (UKAS) to ISO/IEC 17025:2005

for MCERTS is the best way to ensure

you use a competent organisation

that will both understand and meet

not only your requirements but also

those of the Environment Agency.

UKAS, on behalf of the Environment Agency,

assesses and accredits organisations to the

Agency’s MCERTS (monitoring certification

scheme) performance standard. UKAS

accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 for MCERTS

is a mandatory requirement for any

organisation performing monitoring of a

Part A1 site.

Stack Emissions Monitoring –Who can you trust?

Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 for MCERTS

provides an independent and authoritative

declaration that the organisation carrying

out the emissions monitoring has the

people, facilities, equipment, technical

expertise, management systems and

track record to undertake the activity

professionally and competently.

If a stack emissions monitoring organisation

who is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for

MCERTS fails to meet these standards,

then UKAS can impose sanctions on that

organisation. Sanctions include; additional

assessment, partial or total suspension or

in the most severe cases a total withdrawal

of accreditation.

Since 1st June 2009 details of any sanctions

What does MCERTS and ISO/IEC 17025Accreditation mean?

imposed on stack emissions monitoring

organisations can be found on their

accreditation schedules atwww.ukas.com

This information stays on the accreditation

schedule for two years from date of

clearance of the sanction.

Accreditation: Strengthening links with Government

The new Regulation (EC Regulation 765/2008),which came into force on 1 January 2010, requireseach member state to appoint a single nationalaccreditation body. UKAS has therefore beenappointed by statutory instrument providing,for the first time, a legal basis for its role.

The Accreditation Regulations 2009 (StatutoryInstrument No 3155/2009) making theappointment were signed on 30 November2009 by Lord Drayson, Minister for Science andInnovation, and announced in a WrittenStatement to Parliament. In the statement,Lord Drayson said: “The Department forBusiness, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has a long-standing and effective relationship with UKASthat both parties value highly. We will continueto work together not only to ensure that therequirements of the EC Regulation are fulfilledbut to improve the quality and breadth ofaccreditation in the UK.”

Accreditation MattersA BRIEFING FOR POLICY MAKERS Issue 7

The new Regulation is intended to improve theconsistency of accreditation services acrossEurope by setting common requirements fornational accreditation bodies and requiring themto be monitored by member state governments.The Regulation includes requirements relatingto independence, impartiality and technicalcompeten ce. The Regulation alsorequires national accreditation bodies to oper-ate on a not for profit basis and not to com-pete with other national accreditation bodies.

In support of the statutory appointment, BISand UKAS have agreed a revised Memorandumof Understanding to provide further detail onhow the two organisations will work togetherto ensure that the accreditation system in theUK continues t meet the requirements of thenew Regulation and the needs of business andsociety.

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service has been formally appointedas the National Accreditation Body for the United Kingdom, followingthe adoption of a new EU Regulation.

Accreditation:HelpingGovernmentachieve ‘morefor less’The influence and use of accreditation ontinues to grow across a wide range ofGovernment policy areas including effectiveregulation, good governance, fair markets,public confidence and delivering ‘more forless’. Accreditation is being used byGovernment in a number of new areassuch as healthcare and climate change (seecase studies). As pressure on Governmentfinances continues to build, accreditationis increasingly being seen as a market ledsolution to public sector imperatives.

The accreditation process determines, in the publicinterest, the technical competence and integrityof organisations offering testing, inspection, calibration and certification services (collectivelyknown as evaluation services or conformityassessment services).

As the national accreditation body, UKAS is theonly body recognised by Government to assessthese types of organisations against internationallyrecognised standards and it does so across allmarket sectors by offering a single, transparentand repeatable approach which:

! builds business and consumer confidence;

! is voluntarily embraced by business;

! enables innovation in the private and public sectors;

! reduces the need for central and local government to employ its own specialistassessment personnel.

If you are responsible for setting or implementing policies that involve any form ofindependent evaluation, UKAS can help in anumber of ways including defining your needsor designing an assessment or accreditationservice to suit your needs.The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - UKAS' partner in Government.

For further information visit www.ukas.com

Do you commission or procure the inspection of products,

equipment, plants or buildings and processes? If you do,

you will want to make sure that the organisation under-

taking that inspection has the people, facilities, technical

expertise, management systems and track record to

undertake the inspection professionally and competently.

The competence of the inspection

body you appoint may be crucial to

maintaining your reputation as a

responsible organisation. It is

therefore surprising that organisations

are still tempted to use the service of

inspection bodies whose competence

has not been confirmed by an

independent, authoritative third party.

The United Kingdom Accreditation

Do your inspection services meetyour requirements?

Service (UKAS) is the sole accreditation

body recognised by Government to

assess, against internationally

recognised standards, organisations

that provide inspection services.

UKAS combines a depth of technical

knowledge and expertise built up

over many years with scientific and

technical specialists operating across

a range of inspection activities.

What are your inspection needs?

There are well over 250 UKAS accredited

inspection bodies in the UK mainly in the

following broad sectors: Engineering,

Food and Asbestos. So whatever your

inspection needs are in these areas, there

is more than likely a UKAS inspection body

accredited to the international standard

ISO/IEC 17020 qualified to do the job.

Typically, inspections will cover product

design, products, materials and equipment,

installations, plant, processes and services.

Some of these areas will be covered by

legislation that demands regular inspection

is undertaken, for example in the areas of:

� Lifts and Cranes� Hoists

� Machinery� Pressure systems� Electrical installations� Escalators��Non destructive testing��Ventilation equipment��Pre-shipment inspection��Petroleum tanks

Accreditation can and doeshelp to deliver public servicesin a changing regulatory environment

UKAS Accreditation: a tool to deliver effective Local Authority servicesA BRIEF ING FOR LOC AL AUTHORIT Y HEADS OF SERVICE

The accreditation process determines the technical competence andintegrity of organisations offering testing, inspection, calibration andcertification services.

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the only nationalaccreditation body recognised by Government to assess these types oforganisation against internationally-recognised standards and it doesso across all market sectors by offering a single, transparent andrepeatable approach which:

l supports Local Authority enforcement and monitoring

l builds business and consumer confidence by reducing risk

l reduces the need for Local Authorities to employ their own additional specialist assessment personnel

It is important to specify the appropriate requirements on suppliersaccording to the type of work required. For example, you can be confident in the technical competence and the results produced bytesting and calibration laboratories if they hold UKAS accreditation toISO/IEC 17025. UKAS accredited certification of a supplier’s managementsystem to ISO 9001 tells you that they have arrangements for managingthe quality of their product or service, but doesn't say anything abouttheir technical competence.

Ensuring food safety

“Accreditation plays a vital role in allowing us to deliver safe

food and the healthier eating approaches that consumers want.

UKAS provides the solid foundation of assurance on which we

can rely in order to make good decisions – particularly in the

area of enforcement”.

Dame Deirdre Hutton,

Chair Food Standards Agency

Accreditation in action

UKAS accreditation interacts with Local Authorities on many levels:

Assurance of theAuthority’s own

activities

Assurance in the products and services

you specify

Assurance in the products and services

you procure

The Authority may havean accredited in-house

facility such as a laboratory or inspectionbody. The Authority may

also hold UKAS-accredited certification

to demonstrate compliance to a qualitymanagement system

(QMS) or environmental management system

(EMS).

Products and servicesthat you procure will

be sourced from UKAS-accredited

laboratories or inspectionbodies, or from suppliers

that hold accredited certification

(QMS, Personnel etc).

As a specifier, you willcontract suppliers thatare UKAS-accredited (e.g. planning and building control, environmental

monitoring, asbestostesting and

surveying etc).

www.ukas.com

Information security

In addition to having accredited certification to ISO 9001:2000,

Birmingham City Council achieved UKAS accredited certification

to the information security standard ISO 27001 in December

2005. This has enabled the Council to demonstrate credibility

and confidence to its customers, whilst reducing the risk of

information breaches. Independent third party assessment by a

UKAS-accredited organisation underpins the Council's ability to

achieve high standards of service delivery and corporate

governance.

Birmingham City Council

Accreditation:A tool to support the criminal justice system

The accreditation process determines, in the public interest, the technical competence and integrityof organisations offering testing, inspection, calibration and certification services. UKAS is the onlynational accreditation body recognised by Government to assess these types of organisation againstinternationally recognised standards.

Confidence in ForensicServices

There are a number of third party assessmentservices available that can assist in providingconfidence in activities that support thecriminal justice system so it is important tochoose the right one to get the right levelof confidence.

AccreditationAccreditation is the only mechanism thatdetermines the technical competence and integrityof the organisations offering forensic testing andinspection services. ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC17020 not only contain requirements for thequality management system of the organisationbut they also include detailed and specifictechnical criteria for the operation of the technicalservice including ensuring the competence ofpersonnel.

Management System CertificationISO 9001:2000 is a generic standard for qualitymanagement systems applicable to allorganisations irrespective of type, size or productor service provided. It can be applicable toorganisations that provide forensic services butcertification against ISO 9001:2000 shouldnot be interpreted to mean that anorganisation has demonstrated thetechnical competence to produce valid andaccurate information and results. This isbecause with certification to ISO 9001:2000 theemphasis is on establishing an organisation’scompliance with requirements for a qualitymanagement system. It does not contain technicalrequirements for personnel and operations.

Personnel CertificationPersonnel certification (or registration) schemes doexist to provide confidence in the competence ofindividuals. The standards and criteria used toassess competence of personnel vary accordingto the scheme provider. These schemes focus onindividuals’ competence but do not provide anyassessment of the organisation within which theindividual operates. Where this service is used itis essential that users have confidence in thecompetence of the organisation that providescertification of individuals; this can be delivered byusing an accredited Certification Body.

How will UKAS support the criminal justice system?

Scene of Crime ExaminationAccreditation has underpinned quality assurance of forensic analysis for almost 20 years, ensuringconfidence of analysis of samples and results produced in the laboratory. However, until now theexamination of, and collection of materials from, crime scenes has not been covered by accreditation.

UKAS has been working with ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) and EA(European co-operation for Accreditation) to formulate a new and consistent approach to theaccreditation of Crime Scene Examination throughout Europe. EA and ENFSI have developed guidanceto assist with the application of the international standard ISO/IEC 17020 which will be used for theassessment and accreditation of scene of crime work. UKAS is also working with key stakeholdersto ensure its process is robust and effective in determining the technical capability of crime sceneunits.

Accredited examination and collection of materials from crime scenes will provide additionalconfidence in the integrity and chain of custody of the materials being collected.

To find out more, please contact [email protected]

Benefits of accreditation

UKAS accreditation offers transparent solutions that deliver:

� Public trust: confidence that forensic activities are carried out impartially and competently.

� One stop shop: accreditation has a broad application across the Home Office, the Police serviceand Government as a whole, covering multiple sectors and multiple disciplines in a consistent way.

� Flexible solutions: underpinned by requirements specified in regulations, standards or codes ofpractice.

� Cost reduction: organisations operating efficiently and effectively with oversight by UKAS, reducingthe need for regulators or organisations to establish their own assessment and approval activities.

Asbestos surveys Stack Emissions Monitoring Inspection services

Local authority services Accreditation Matters No7 Forensic accreditation


If you are busy running a business, sourcingthe right people and organisations to carryout your certification work can be timeconsuming and fraught with unknowns.

So why leave something so important

to chance? If you are responsible for

your company’s certification make

sure the certification body you select

is accredited by the United Kingdom

Accreditation Service (UKAS). UKAS is

the only accreditation body recognised

by government to assess certification

bodies against internationally

recognised standards that assure the

certification body is fit for purpose.

UKAS combines technical knowledge

and expertise with commercial

impartiality and a requirement to

serve the public interest first.

Why leave your certification to chance?

UKAS accreditation provides assurance

in the market that certification bodies

operate to recognised standards. UKAS

certification bodies are accredited to the

international standards ISO/IEC 17021:2004,

ISO/IEC 17024:2003 and EN 45011:1998.

The accreditation process provides

consumers with the confidence that the

quality of the service they procure is of a

consistently high standard.

UKAS has been formally appointed as the

National Accreditation Body for the United

Kingdom under the EU Regulation (No)

765/2008. The Department for Business,

Innovation and Skills (BIS) works with UKAS

to ensure that it operates in the public

interest and meets the obligations

imposed by the Regulation.

For further details on UKAS accredited bodies please visit www.ukas.com

If you are thinking about using testing, calibration, inspection or certificationto support your business but you are not sure about the difference between accreditation and certification – we can explain!

So what does having accredited certification to ISO 9001: 2008 mean?

ISO 9001: 2008 is the Quality Management

Systems standard. An organisation that

is certified to ISO 9001 means that

the emphasis is on establishing an

organisation’s compliance with

requirements for a quality

management system. This generic

standard for quality management systems is

applicable to all organisations irrespective

of type, size, product or service provided.

Organisations that provide testing and

calibration activities can be certified to

ISO 9001 for their quality management

systems – but this should not be

interpreted to mean that an organisation

has demonstrated the technical

competence to produce valid and accurate

data and results.

Accreditation – a means todemonstrate technicalcompetence

Accreditation is the only process that

determines the technical competence

of organisations offering testing, calibration

or inspection services.

If you require testing, calibration or

inspection activities that ensure

technical competence then you need

to use a UKAS accredited supplier.

Accreditation to ISO/ IEC 17025:2005

provides authoritative assurance of the

technical competence of a laboratory to

undertake specified testing or calibrations

and accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020:1998

provides assurance of a inspection body to

undertake competent inspections. These

standards also include the principles of

ISO 9001 the management system

requirements.

What is the right choice?

You need to think about your business

needs. Before choosing a supplier,

remember:

Save time and money by selecting an

organisation that will understand and

meet your business requirements.

Using a UKAS accredited supplier can

be an invaluable tool in your decision-

making and risk management.

Check the scope of accreditation.

Each accredited body has a scope

which details what their accreditation

covers.

ISO 9001 is a generic standard for

quality management systems

applicable to all organisations

irrespective of type, size or product

or service provided.

An organisation accredited to ISO/IEC

17025 and ISO/IEC 17020 has

demonstrated the technical

competence to produce valid and

accurate data and results.

Using a UKAS accredited body to

carry out an independent evaluation

helps demonstrate due diligence in

the event of legal action.

What is the right choice for you?

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Do you commission a laboratory to fulfill your testingneeds? Can you be sure that they supply you with accurateand reliable results? If you do, you will want to make surethat the organisation undertaking your testing has thepeople, facilities, technical expertise, management systemsand track records to undertake the work professionallyand competently.

The competence of a laboratory you

appoint may be crucial to maintaining

your reputation as a responsible

organisation. It is therefore surprising

that organisations are still tempted

to use the service of laboratories

whose competence has not been

confirmed by an independent,

authoritative third party.

The United Kingdom Accreditation

Is the laboratory you commission for your testing technically competent?

Service (UKAS) is the sole accreditation

body recognised by Government to

assess, against internationally

recognised standards, organisations

that provide testing services. UKAS

combines a depth of technical

knowledge and expertise built up

over many years with scientific and

technical specialists operating across

a range of testing activities.

What are your testing needs?

There are well over xxx UKAS accredited laboratories in theUK in a wide range of sectors such as: Chemicals, Explosives,Food, Forensics, Healthcare, Toys and Water.

UKAS laboratory accreditation uses criteria and procedures specifically to determine technical competence. Laboratoryaccreditation uses the internationally recognised standard ISO/IEC 17025 to assess factors relevant to a laboratory’s ability to produce precise, accurate tests and data including:

� Technical competence of staff

� Validity and appropriateness of test methods

� Suitability and maintenance of test equipment

� Testing environment

� Sampling, handling and transportation of test items

� Quality assurance of test data

Accreditation or Certification? Certification services Testing services

Available soon...


In 2009 CPA became a wholly-owned subsidiary of UKAS as part of a strategy by both companies tocontribute to the modernisation of pathology services in the UK.

Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) was established in 1992 and wasco-owned by the professional bodies involved in the service delivery ofdiagnostic pathology within medical laboratories. The bodies involvedwere the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath), the Institute of Bio-medical Science (IBMS), the Association of Clinical Pathologists (ACP),and the Association for Clinical Biochemistry (ACB). These professionalbodies continue to support the work of the organisation.

Profile

Clinical Pathology Accreditation

CPA assesses medical laboratories (bothin the public and independent healthcare sectors) and External Quality Assessment schemes, of which there arecurrently more than 1400 laboratoriesregistered with the scheme. This represents about 90 percent of the totalmedical laboratory services within theUnited Kingdom. CPA has also accredited laboratories in Mexico, Italy, USA, Kuwait and Dubai.

The main head office is now basedwithin the UKAS offices in Feltham. CPAcontinues to be headed by Cheryl Blairas Executive Manager, supported by ateam of 13 employed professional Regional Assessors plus three RegionalAssessment Managers and an internalCustomer Liaison Team.

The Regional Assessors are responsiblefor ensuring a high standard of assessments, monitoring the overallquality of assessments, reporting anyproblems, contributing and supportingthe development of CPA assessmentand training programmes with a particular emphasis on quality systems.

The Regional Assessors have continuingresponsibility for the assessment ofmedical laboratories within a regionand they work with Peer Assessors, aslead auditor, to form the assessmentteam. CPA Peer Assessors are usuallypractising Consultants/Clinical Scientists of equivalent status and Biomedical Scientists at the most seniorlevel. CPA also uses retired assessorswho have maintained statutory registration with a professional body.One of their objectives is to ensure thatall applicants are assessed within theirscheduled timescale.

The Regional Assessment ManagersGwen Guthrie, Ken Rae and PhilShread who were all previously employed in senior managerial positionsin NHS medical laboratories are responsible for making the decision onthe accreditation status.

The assessment process is supported bythe internal Customer Liaison Team ledby Commercial Team Leader KayleighGregory. The team is responsible for allorganisational and administrative aspects of the accreditation process.

Pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of organs, tissues,bodily fluids, and whole bodies (autopsies). It is the branch of medical science that studiesthe causes and nature and effects of diseases. CPA assess all disciplines of pathologywhich includes: Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology, Histopathology, Cytology, Microbiology,Virology, Immunology, Genetics and Andrology.

Upcoming Events


UKAS will exhibit at the TAF (Trade Association Forum) AnnualConference on the 10 March 2011 to promote accreditation.TAF has 300 trade association members who represent500,000 companies. UKAS has continued to maintain a closerelationship with TAF to raise awareness about accreditation.The Annual Conference will provide an opportunity to comeinto contact with senior TAF members from different small tomedium sized enterprises. This year the event programmewill include a series of conference sessions focused upon the

TAF Annual Conference

UK economy, the factors that affect trade associations andcurrent topics that influence their members.

Jon Murthy, UKAS Marketing Manager will also participate ina panel discussion, ‘Raising Standards in your Industry’ joinedby Shirley Bailey-Wood, Operations Director, BSI Standardsand Laurence Waterman, Group Director, SYPOL and Headof Health and Safety for the Olympic Delivery Authority(ODA).

MCERTS is a specialist event for companies who provide

products and services for Air and Emission Monitoring. This

event will be taking place on the 30 and 31 March 2011 at

the International Centre in Telford and will be the sixth time

this event will be held on Air and Emission Monitoring.

The event is supported by the Environment Agency and the

Source Testing Association (STA), therefore visitors can be

confident that they will be attending an industry event on

topics related directly to their field of work. Topics covered in

2011 will include Ambient Monitoring, Dioxin Monitoring,

MCERTS–Air and Emission Monitoring Conference

Mcerts regulation, CEMS, Calibration, Discontinuous Monitoring,

Gas Analysis, Data Acquisition, Manual Stack Monitoring and

Operator Monitoring Assessment.

UKAS in conjunction with the Environment Agency (including

input from the STA) have completed the pilot programme to

award ISO/IEC 17025 and MCERTS accreditation for testing

laboratories performing QAL2 and AST work to BS EN 14181:

2004. Rohit Chirodian, UKAS Assessment Manager will be delivering a conference presentation to support this topic.

16 Update March 2011

Update is published quarterly by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Articles in Updatemay be reproduced on receipt ofpermission from the Editor. Update is also published on the UKAS website atwww.ukas.com

UKAS is a non-profit-distributing company limited by guarantee. It is the sole national accreditation body recognised by the UKGovernment for the assessment (against international standards) of the technical competence of organisations offering evaluationservices such as testing, inspection, calibration and certification.

Information Desk

Tel: +44 (0)20 8917 8400Fax: +44 (0)20 8917 [email protected]

United Kingdom Accreditation Service

21–47 High Street, Tel: +44 (0)20 8917 8400Feltham, Fax: +44 (0)20 8917 8500Middlesex www.ukas.comTW13 4UN www.ukas.org

Editor

Aneet GoomerTel: +44 (0)20 8917 8467Fax: +44 (0)20 8917 [email protected]

Diary dates

The diary lists forthcoming national and international accreditation-related events of interestto our readers, as well as upcoming UKAS training courses. Sanctions

Sanctions data is provided in Update on a quarterly

basis. Full statistics from July 2008 are available on

the UKAS website www.ukas.com

For the period October to December 2010:

Imposed total suspensions:

2 organisations

(1 laboratory, 1 inspection body)

Imposed total withdrawals

1 organisation (1 laboratory)

The data does not include suspensions and

terminations that have been imposed for

non-payment of fees.

ConsultationsSince the last issue of Update, UKAS has responded

to the following Government consultations;

� Department of Health consultation on

Liberating the NHS: An Information

Revolution

� Department of Health consultation on

Transparency in Outcomes: A Framework

for Adult Social Care

March

2-3 Training CourseUncertainty of Measurement – Testing [email protected]

8EA Laboratory [email protected]

9-10 EA Laboratory [email protected]

10-13 IAF/ILAC Executive [email protected]

14-16 Training CourseAssessor Training [email protected]

17-18Training CourseLead Assessor Training [email protected]

21-26 Southern African Development CommunityAccreditation (SADCA)[email protected]

23 ISAS Preparatory [email protected]

23 UKAS Policy Advisory [email protected]

29-30 EA Horizontal Harmonisation [email protected]

30-31 Training CourseLaboratory Internal Audit [email protected]

April

4-5 EA Executive [email protected]

5-6Training CourseISO17020:1998 [email protected]

5-8Training CourseCombined Laboratory Course [email protected]

6-7 EA Communications andPublications [email protected]

11-15 ILAC Marketing and Communications Committee/IAF Communications and Marketing [email protected]

13-14 EA Multilateral AgreementCouncil [email protected]

15EA Multilateral AgreementCouncil Working GroupTraining [email protected]

27-28 EA Working Group onGreenhouse [email protected]

12 Training CoursePreparation for Accreditation [email protected]

24 EA Executive [email protected]

24-25 EA General [email protected]

25-26 Training CourseUnderstandingISO/IEC17020:1998 for internal auditors and managers reviewing theQuality Management [email protected]

May

5 EA Advisory Board [email protected]

11-13 Training CourseLaboratory ManagementCourse [email protected]

Update - UKAS 60.pdfCouncil (EGAC) of the Arab Republic of Egypt. It was noted that it is planned to relocate the EA Secretariat’s office in Paris in early 2011. Proposals to revise

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