National Standard Methods |
Published on: 3 August 2007 |
Standard Method updates
The development of National Standard Methods and Algorithms is undertaken under the auspices of the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in conjunction with the NHS and the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHSW), and with professional societies including the Association of Medical Microbiologists, Association of Clinical Microbiologists, Institute of Biomedical Science, Clinical Virology Network, and the Scottish Microbiology Association. Over 200 methods are available from the HPA Standards Unit website which covers bacteriology, virology/serology, food, water, and environmental microbiology.
National standard methods are educational and encourage participating laboratories to retain an enquiring attitude. In addition, they are designed to help ensure that laboratories provide a good clinical and public health microbiology service. Evidence of using standard operating procedures is an essential requirement of accreditation schemes. For more information, please contact the HPA Standards unit, email: <standards@hpa.org.uk>.
Monthly content update - August 2007
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QSOP 33 European Directive on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (98/79/EC) (re-issue)
http://www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk/documents/qsop/pdf/qsop33.pdf -
BSOP 29 Investigation of specimens for MRSA (re-issue)
http://www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk/documents/bsop/pdf/bsop29.pdf -
VSOP 2 Gastroenteritis: Sporadic Cases (re-issue)
http://www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk/documents/vsop/pdf/vsop2.pdf
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VSOP 17 Isolation of Herpes Simplex virus associated with Herpes Genitalis (re-issue)
http://www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk/documents/vsop/pdf/vsop17.pdf -
VSOP 22 Immunofluorescence and isolation of viruses from respiratory samples (new issue)
http://www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk/documents/vsop/pdf/vsop22.pdf
On behalf of the Evaluations and Standards Laboratory and the National Working Groups developing SOPs, algorithms, and guidance note.