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Improved Quality Labs for Saint Lucians

Contact: Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards

NLAC members at SLBS presentation

Monday, March 31, 2008 - Saint Lucians can have even greater confidence in the results that they receive from their local laboratories thanks to the ongoing work of the National Laboratory Advisory Council (NLAC) and the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards (SLBS). Recently, NLAC benefited from a presentation by the SLBS on accreditation and issues of quality and competence in laboratories. The presentation focused on two international standards, ISO 15189:2003 – Medical laboratories – Particular requirements for quality and competence and ISO/IEC 17025:2005 - General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. SLBS is the national accreditation focal point for laboratory services.

NLAC Chairperson, Trudy Leonce-Joseph, said that the presentation clarified some key issues such as the application of the relevant standards to both medical and non-medical laboratories. She pointed out that there is governmental support for the use of these standards in the operations of the island’s laboratories. Leonce-Joseph also emphasized that an important outcome of the exercise is “to impart this information to the staff of the laboratories” so that the improvements are felt throughout. She said that the next step for NLAC was to meet with the Ministry of Health to be apprised of the status of the move to license and register all medical and non-medical laboratories. That meeting is expected to take place soon.

NLAC’s mission is “to promote continuous improvement in laboratories through an integrated approach by providing technical support in areas affecting quality and competence”.  NLAC comprises laboratory representatives of medical laboratories, Ministry of Agriculture, the Water and Sewage Company (WASCO) and other representatives from the Ministry of Health, SLBS, the Saint Lucia Insurance Council and the Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association.

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