Quarterly reports

A quarterly report – March, June, September & December - is dispatched which coincides with the call off of cumulative performance graphs for the blood count, routine coagulation and plasma viscosity. The final report for the year includes performance figures for all packages and, as a little light heartedness, gold stars are awarded for the best performance in a particular test and silver stars to those with an average DI value of <0.5 (only centres that have returned at least 75% of results are included).

The report regularly includes a review of the blood count and coagulation trials since the last report plus an overview of the other trials dispatched and reported during this time.

There may be some point of interest regarding an instrument/reagent/method/set of results which were raised in the report for a particular trial. This information can be made available to all participants through the quarterly report.

Details of any forthcoming surveys, such as Lupus Anticoagulant, would be included. Participants complete a fax back sheet to indicate they wish to take part with an indication of their current methodology.

The report is also a newsletter so details of the Haematology Update meeting would be included. It can act as a vehicle to ask opinion on suggested changes or on comments that participants may have made on any aspect of the Scheme provision. Again the fax back sheet would be used. Replies would be discussed in the next report (or earlier if necessary).