(A joint EA – Eurolab – Eurachem Working Group)

Terms of Reference

1. The working group EEE-PT has been established as a joint activity by EA, Eurolab and Eurachem (EEE) to provide support on the use of proficiency testing (PT) to laboratory personnel and accreditation assessors, and to support the process of accrediting PT providers.
2. EA/Eurolab/Eurachem (EEE) may approve other appropriate organisations to become affiliated members to the EEE-PT. EQALM (European Committee for External Quality Assurance Programmes in Laboratory Medicine) is an affiliated member of EEE-PT
3. The aim is to develop common policy and technical advice covering proficiency testing to improve the reliability of testing, measurement, calibration and examination results to meet the European needs
4. The EEE-PT will ensure that the general procedures of working groups set up by EA, Eurolab and Eurachem are taken into consideration.
5. The EEE-PT will provide a discussion forum in order to develop support in the form of guidelines and input into policy papers to:
   • Identify, review and promote the use of appropriate and effective proficiency testing in laboratory operations and accreditation procedures;
   • Help provide information on the availability of PTs;
   • Understand and address differences between specific sectors;
   • Contribute to the development and revision of International Standards and Guides relating to PTs and other ILCs.
6. To provide a link with other international working groups and bodies in this field, e.g. ILAC AIC 17043 WG, to promote greater international harmonisation and reduce duplication of effort

Membership

Membership of the EEE-PT WG is open to representatives from the three parent organisations: EA, Eurolab and Eurachem who are each entitled to nominate five representatives. Affiliated organisations are entitled to nominate three representatives. Additional representatives from the parent or affiliated organisations, along with other international guests, may be associated with the EEE-PT WG at the discretion of the Chair.

MEETINGS

The full EEE-PT WG will meet twice a year face to face. Task force groups (TFGs) may be established to address specific work items, such TFGs will meet on-line as required.

CHAIR

The Chair is elected by the EEE-PT WG members, and is subject to endorsement by the appropriate committees of EA, Eurolab and Eurachem. The Chair, is appointed for a term of three years, but can be reappointed upon completion of their term.

Representatives:

International guests:

ILAC Secretariat (Australia), ILAC
He Ping, APAC PT Subcommittee

 Work Programme 2022 - 2023

1. To update any appropriate policy or guidance documents on the cost-effective and technical use of proficiency testing in co-operation with ILAC and other interested organisations, and to contribute to the discussions within ILAC or any other appropriate international forum on PT activities
2. To contribute to the revision of international standards and guides which underpin the quality of PTs and to discuss the recognition mechanisms for PT providers, contributing to the harmonisation of accreditation requirements
   1. Consider whether there is a need for guidance on flexible scopes for PT providers through an EA-LC post survey workshop organised by the PTP/RMP Technical Network with support from the EEE-PT WG.
   2. On behalf of Eurachem, develop a leaflet on further guidance to laboratories with regards to the use of other ILCs and their limitations, when suitable PT schemes are not available.
   3. Undertake a five year review of the EA 'Guidelines for the assessment of the appropriateness of small interlaboratory comparisons within the process of laboratory accreditation (EA-4/21 INF:2018) and start a revision if considered necessary. 
3. To support and promote harmonisation of accreditation bodies’ evaluation of laboratories’ participation and performance in PT
4. To provide a forum for the discussion between the accreditation bodies and the PT stakeholders with regards to the accreditation of PT providers
   1. Give guidance for the harmonisation during the implementation of ISO/IEC 17043.
   2. Consider potential guidance on the risk-based approach to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17043.
5. To view the relation between PT performance and accreditation surveillance mechanisms
6. To identify mechanisms to promote new PT in all technical areas, including inspection, and to develop a mechanism for the implementation of PTs in areas where they do not currently exist
7. To provide an overview of the “learning effect” of PT
8. To co-operate with, and give input, to the EPTIS Project

Previous outputs

Technical Papers:

• How to interpret information from proficiency test exercises concerning the relative performance of accredited laboratories (2001)

Surveys:

• Use in Practice of Proficiency Testing by Accreditation Bodies and Laboratories (2003)
• Accreditation, Recognition or Approval of Proficiency Testing Schemes (2003)

Position Papers:

• Use of Proficiency Testing as a Tool for Accreditation in Testing (2002) – formed the basis of ILAC22:2004
• “Trade-Off” issue between Participation in Proficiency Testing and the Level and Frequency of Surveillance Activities (2004)
• Organisation of Proficiency Tests and Interlaboratory Comparisons for EA Laboratory Committee (2003)
• Establishment of a Multi Lateral Agreement (MLA) for the Accreditation of Proficiency Testing Providers (2004)
• Educational Aspects of Proficiency Testing Programs (2005)
• Use of Measurement Uncertainty in Proficiency Testing (2006)
• Guidance to accreditation bodies' policies on the level and frequency of proficiency testing participation (2009)
• Guidance document, for EA, on the content of scopes of accreditation for PT providers (2015)
• Developed a guidance document, for EA, with respect to the use of inter-laboratory comparisons with few participants (2018)
• Developed guidance, for Eurolab, for users of laboratory PT results with respect to a single questionable or unsatisfactory performance score (2018)
• Position paper on whether rapid performance evaluation schemes can be used as a replacement for traditional PTs and whether they can be accredited to ISO/IEC 17043 developed (2018)
• Developed a guidance document, for EA, with respect to the use of interlaboratory comparisons with few participants [EEE-PT(11)03v18]
• Information leaflet on 'Proficiency testing schemes for sampling' for publication by Eurachem 

Standards/Guides:

• Contributed to the revision of ILAC G13 (2007)
• Eurachem guide on Selection, Use and Interpretation of Proficiency Testing (PT) Schemes (Second Edition, 2011)
• Eurachem leaflet on 'Proficiency testing schemes for sampling'
• Contributed to the work of ISO in the revision of ISO 13528 (2015)
• Eurachem guide on Selection, Use and Interpretation of Proficiency Testing (PT) Schemes (Third Edition, 2021) on behalf of Eurachem
• EA-4/18 G: 2021, ‘Guidance on the level and frequency of proficiency testing participation’ [EEE-PT(19)11v6]

Contact

You can contact the EEE-PT Secretary here

Details

Last Updated: Thursday, 12 October 2023 12:00

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