Interim Arrangements for Persistent Poor-Performance Escalation
As you may be aware, the oversight of UK laboratory EQA performance previously provided by the Quality Assurance in Pathology Committee (QAPC) and the National Quality Assurance Advisory Panels (NQAAP), hosted by the Royal College of Pathologists, ceased in January 2026.
Weqas will continue to fulfil its duty of care by monitoring EQA poor performance and notifying relevant Heads of Department of any potential persistent poor performance.
The analytical performance specification (APS) for an analyte, along with the criteria for poor and persistent poor performance, are determined by Weqas in consultation with the Steering Committee. The APS for each analyte is stated on your report as the Weqas Total Allowable Error, (TAE). A Performance Index, (PI) highlighted in red indicates a result outside this allowable error. Poor performance is defined as two or more consecutive EQA results falling outside this specification, or when a laboratory fails to return EQA results.
Where the poor performance is identified as a manufacturer wide issue, Weqas will report the issue directly to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and inform the laboratories concerned.
If the poor performance is limited to an individual Laboratory, in the first instance, Weqas will contact the laboratory to highlight the potential poor-performance and offer support to help resolve the issue, including the supply of additional samples.
If the laboratory fails to respond to this contact, or to take any action to improve performance, this will result in further notification, and the issue will be defined as persistent poor performance. At this stage, the matter will be escalated to the organisation’s Chief Executive.
Continued poor performance may subsequently be referred to the relevant national healthcare regulators across the four UK nations: the Care Quality Commission (England), Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (Northern Ireland). The precise mechanism for this process is yet to be finalised.
Yours faithfully,
Annette Thomas
Weqas Director
You can read the full statement from the RCPath regarding the pause in QAPC and NQAAP activity here.
Last updated: 20/02/2026
