• Sample Details Unstained paraffin sections of tissues which may originate from farm, exotic or companion animals.
  • Method Histology staining

Overview

The purpose of this scheme is for participants to demonstrate their proficiency in performing cellular pathology staining techniques.

Result input

Results are returned through our electronic reporting system.

Participants stain the slides provided and return to VETQAS.

Results deadline (from date of shipping)

21 days

PT Report

Authorised report will be published electronically. These will show intended result and results from all participants

Stained slides are then assessed, and results are returned through our electronic reporting system. These include:a summary of results for each technique, participant’s scores, overall scores and histogram showing the frequency of the scores, digital images of selected examples accompanied by comments provided by the Assessors.

Accreditation Status

ISO/IEC 17043 Conformity assessment – General requirements for proficiency testing.

Health and Safety

This material is for in vitro use only, not for use in animals.

Import Permit

It is the responsibility of the participants to check with their customs authority if an import permit is required to import VETQAS® PT samples. If a permit is required, we must receive a valid copy of the permit before the scheduled distribution date. Please note, if we do not receive the permit by the scheduled distribution date the samples will not be shipped and there will be no refund.

Provision of external services

Aspects of the Proficiency Testing schemes may at times be performed by a competent external service provider, for which VETQAS® is responsible.

Additional Information

Scheme outline

Each round will consist of two requested specialised staining methods (designated as List A and List B) on issued slides and another two self-provided slides stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin from the participant’s laboratory archive. Such that the participant will be expected to return four slides for assessment of staining technique per round.

Each participant will be issued duplicate slides for each of the two specialised staining methods and will be expected to return one of each (the duplicate is retained by the participant). These will be returned with two slides (that must not be recut or remounted sections) from the participant’s archive that had been stained with H&E on the two requested dates.

Archived material

The main reason for selecting participant’s archived material is to include assessment of all the stages (tissue fixation through to mounting) of routine work used in the preparation of slides for cellular pathology examination.

Participants should submit the first H&E slide from the first case on the given date.

You may substitute for a subsequent slide if the first suitable slide:

• consists of minimal or cellular material

• is not an H&E

• has not been prepared from a paraffin block

• was referred into the department from an outside laboratory

– is required for another purpose or is still involved in the diagnostic process.

Where the tissue has been involved in some other process prior to routine embedding, such as decalcification or cryo-sectioning, slides should still be submitted and an appropriate comment made on the electronic return form.

Generally, the first slide in a multi-block case is requested. This should be submitted unless the quality of the first block is inferior for routine cellular pathology such as if the tissue in the first block is damaged during dissection e.g. the margins of a bowel resection tissue sample may contain suture material or clips. In such cases, a later block from the same case may be substituted.

Where more than one section is cut from a block, the participant is expected to submit the first except where this would render assessment to be difficult (e.g. deliberately superficial levels). In such a case, a later section from the same block may be substituted.

The work patterns in some departments may mean that the first specimen is always of a particular, perhaps unrepresentative type. Substitution of a later case is permissible. This should be chosen in accordance with a written departmental operating procedure.

N.B. In all cases of substitution the participants should provide an explanation on the returns form.

Scheme outline

Each round will consist of two requested specialised staining methods (designated as List A and List B) on issued slides and another two self-provided slides stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin from the participant’s laboratory archive. Such that the participant will be expected to return four slides for assessment of staining technique per round.

Each participant will be issued duplicate slides for each of the two specialised staining methods and will be expected to return one of each (the duplicate is retained by the participant). These will be returned with two slides (that must not be recut or remounted sections) from the participant’s archive that had been stained with H&E on the two requested dates.

Each batch of slides issued is quality control checked to ensure that all slides issued are homogeneous within the batch. The period covering the distribution has been included when the expiry dates of samples were determined.

Labelling

It is important to not remove or obscure the original identification system on the self-provided H&E slides. After receipt the participant’s lab identity system will be made anonymous by covering over with removable adhesive labels. Similarly, it is unnecessary for participant’s to label the specialised staining slides.

Information requests

Details of methods and/or reagents used should be recorded on the result entry sheets. This enables the provision of useful feedback from assessors to participants. This information is not assessed and will not appear on the final report.

Assessment

The assessment process is to be as fair and consistent as possible. It is subcontracted to both APHA and non APHA personnel who are qualified and well-practised assessors in techniques of Cellular Pathology.

During assessment scores will be allocated to various criteria based on the quality of results in certain cellular pathology techniques.

Participants with restricted repertoires

The participant is responsible for communicating via the reporting form whether a specialised staining method is part of their repertoire.

When a specialised stain is not part of a participant’s repertoire, this will be classified as such and will not be assessed or scored.

Participants who fail to submit a stained slide that is part of their repertoire will be classed as a non-submission.

Assessment of Specialised Staining

In total there will be twelve requests for assessment of specialised staining techniques during the year i.e. two requests of specialised staining techniques per distribution.

Each round of assessment will request one stain from either List A and one from List B.

An example (not comprehensive of all staining methods in scheme) for a contract year:

A B

Ziehl Neelson + Elastic Van Gieson

Martius-scarlet-blue + Trichrome

Congo Red + Alcian Blue/Periodic acid Schiff (PAS)

Grocott’s + Toluidine Blue

Giemsa + Reticulin

Perls’ Prussian Blue + Masson Fontana

Where it is the laboratory’s policy to refer specialised stains to another department or laboratory, these should be included in the declared repertoire and the PT material referred to the relevant third party as if it were diagnostic material.

The department’s original submission material will be returned.

Performance monitoring

Good performance in one category cannot be offset against substandard performance in another.

The scheme organisers will not monitor substandard performance. This should be arranged by the participants themselves and any subsequent investigations dealt with accordingly. However, participants are welcome to contact the scheme organiser or assessor for advice on such matters.

Poor performance is considered to be defined by receiving a score of 2 or lower.

Appeals procedure

Participants who are dissatisfied with any of their scores can re-submit the slides to be re-assessed. These slides will be reassessed at the next scheduled round of assessment after receipt.

The participant should initially contact the scheme organiser and then return the slides for reassessment.

Any returned slides will be added to the list of the next round of assessment. After reassessment the slides will be returned to the participant.

The appeals procedure will remain confidential.