Eurachem Proficiency Testing Working Group

The Eurachem Proficiency Testing Working Group (PTWG) provides a forum within the European chemical community for pursuing excellence in the development and implementation of proficiency testing

Terms of Reference

1. The Eurachem Proficiency Testing Working Group has been established and will operate in accordance with the Constitution agreed in the Eurachem Memorandum of Understanding.
2. To improve the organisation of proficiency testing in Europe.
3. To promote best practice in proficiency testing using appropriate mechanisms such as publications, workshops etc.
4. To provide a forum for organisers and users of proficiency testing schemes on issues affecting the practice of proficiency testing
5. To organise, on a periodic basis, an International workshop on proficiency testing in analytical chemistry, microbiology and laboratory medicine.
6. To provide input and comments from the chemical measurement community to the EA/Eurolab/Eurachem Working Group on Proficiency Testing in Accreditation (EEE-PT WG).
7. To provide input and disseminate output between Eurachem and the EEE-PT WG.
8. To collaborate and provide input on proficiency testing into other Eurachem working groups.
9. To provide input into international activities related to proficiency testing.

Membership

*Corresponding Member

 Current Activities

• Organisation of the 11th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine.
• Preparation and translation of a series of information leaflets regarding topics of interest to proficiency testing, to encourage good practice across Europe.
• Production of guidance on the evaluation of qualitative results in PT schemes.

A key role of the PTWG is to discuss both input and outcomes of issues addressed at the EA/Eurolab/Eurachem Working Group on Proficiency Testing in Accreditation (EEE-PT WG). The EEE-PT WG discusses issues that go much wider than analytical chemistry, and it is the responsibility of the Eurachem representatives to ensure that any decisions and outputs of the WG take into account the needs of analytical chemistry. Current representatives of the PTWG who represent Eurachem on the EEE-PT WG are Brian Brookman and Raquel Murtula. In addition Frank Baumeister  (Germany) and Coralie Leonard (Switzerland) are also Eurachem representatives.

Previous Outputs

• 3rd International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Borås, Sweden, September 2020.
• Guide to the 'Selection, use and interpretation of proficiency testing (PT) schemes by laboratories', 2000.
• Input into the EEE-PT WG paper 'Use of Proficiency Testing as a Tool for Accreditation Bodies', 2000.
• 4th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Bracknell, UK, February 2003.
• Input into various EEE-PT WG discussion documents.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on an introduction to 'Proficiency testing schemes and other interlaboratory comparisons' aimed at PT participants and their customers.
• 5th  International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Portoroz, Slovenia, September 2005 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].
• Survey on the accreditation of EQA scheme organisers in laboratory medicine (in collaboration with EQALM) [Report available here].
• Production of a discussion paper on fundamental terms relating yo PT [Discussion paper available here].
• Contribution to the revision of ILAC G!3.
• 6th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Rome, Italy, October 2008 [Presentations and working group summaries available on the workshop information page].
• Contribution to the development of ISO/IEC 17043.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'pre- and post-analytical proficiency testing'.
• 7th  International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Istanbul, Turkey, October 2011 [Presentations and working group summaries available on the workshop information page].
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'How can proficiency testing help my laboratory'.
• 8th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Berlin, Germany, October 2014 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'Selecting the right proficiency testing scheme for my laboratory'.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'Proficiency testing - How much and how often'.
• 9th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Portoroz, Slovenia, October 2017 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'Use of surplus proficiency test items'.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'How to investigate poor performance in proficiency testing'.
• Translation of a leaflet on 'Proficiency testing schemes for sampling'
• Development of a leaflet on 'Let's call a PT scheme a PT scheme'
• Publication of paper "Is harmonisation of performance assessment in non-quantitative proficiency testing possible/necessary?" U. Tiikkainen, L. Ciaralli, C. Laurent, M. Obkircher, M. Patriarca, P. Robouch, E. Sarkany, Accredit Qual Assur, 27, 1-8 (2022)
• 10th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Windsor, UK, September 2023 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].

* Contact the PTWG Secretariat