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The challenges of a Point of Care Day
I have been a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) at NHS Tayside for 18 months. One of the main roles within my job is dealing with Point of Care (POC) at the Perth Royal Infirmary, the smaller sister laboratory to the larger one based at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee Although this is not my only role it is by far the one I enjoy the most despite the challenges...
Service Level Agreements
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contract, of sorts, between the lab providing oversight and the area in which the Point of Care (POC) device resides and the users of that area. It ensures that both parties are aware of their responsibilities and the governance framework which surrounds the device. The SLA format I use is similar to the one utilised by main laboratory, which is used for sending tests between hospital/boards...
The pursuit of POC accreditation
Since starting my career as a Biomedical Scientist in Tayside, just over 12 years ago, almost every interview I’ve ever had has always had a question about accreditation… “Can you tell us the purpose of accreditation and how you can contribute to it?” or a different combination of the same words.
Whilst I’ve cobbled together reasonable responses, most of which include catch-words such as “service user confidence”, “assurances” and “meeting standards,” I have always found myself wondering, is accreditation actually worth it?
Inequalities in POC resourcing
This quote is essentially about equality or sometimes the lack of it and this got me thinking...... Point of Care (POC) is the only area within diagnostics that varies so much in service provision and support. A centralised laboratory will have different suppliers than others but provide similar testing repertoires. These services are almost all (especially in the NHS) governed by structures that allow ISO 15189 compliance and therefore UKAS accreditation, as that is the goal of most if not all NHS laboratories. In each of the Scottish health boards POC provision is very different.
The dreaded gap analysis
Despite the title of this blog, and the onerous task that it is, a gap analysis is actually a very useful tool. Whether you intend to go for POCT accreditation anytime soon or not, I would urge you to complete one, - even if just as an audit exercise.
Knowing where to start was daunting but fortunately, we had a few templates on hand from the Blood Sciences ISO 15189 accreditation process. This gave me an overview of the documentation required, processes to look at and how I would present it all to UKAS when the time came.
How to achieve accreditation
With very few sites having achieved ISO 22870 accreditation in England and none in Scotland, should Tayside push to be the first site or will we fall flat on our faces? We are obviously going to attempt ISO 22870 accreditation. And, if I’m honest, we deserve to We fought tooth and nail to get a governance group (at the behest of 22870) with all the relevant stakeholders and this has been critical in getting our name and our policies out to the users.
Bringing Point of Care to the community
To provide the strength in access to primary care with the support of secondary care - The hospital into the community is essential for the future of our NHS service and its ongoing sustainability. To make this a reality means you need to find innovative and collaborative ways to deliver healthcare out of the hospital environment – This can be through finding new ways to work collaboratively across NHS providers, system partners, by creatively thinking and looking at digital interventions which effectively and safely increase patient health care outcomes and its capacity for extension in POCT.
Becoming a BMS - from placement to permanent
I am currently a Biomedical Scientist in NHS Tayside working within Biochemistry and have been for around a year now. Preceding that, I was a Medical Laboratory Assistant within Blood Science for a year. ‘Then why are you writing an article about Point of Care?’ I hear you ask. Well, Point of Care kicked off my career within the scientific field, and I believe it can really help push both undergraduates and laboratories further into success.
Point of Care Perspectives - The story of an Associate Practitioner
Within the intricate web of healthcare, where precision and efficiency meet to influence patient outcomes, Point of Care Testing (POCT) stands out as a beacon of innovation and reliability. As an Associate Practitioner in POCT, my journey is not just a job but a testament to the dedication, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to excellence that define our role in the healthcare ecosystem.
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