QC Assessment and Review

This section explores some differences in expectations and what is realistic in a modern chemical laboratory with respect to quality control. We all want it and expect it from our suppliers, our clients expect it of us, but do their expectations differ from what expect of ourselves? Do our concepts of what is good and suitable QC differ from what the outside world expects of us?

A client and the laboratory must have confidence in the reported results. One recognised way to provide such confidence is by inserting quality control (QC) samples into the workload, processing and assessing their results using a series of standard, or customised, quality testing and validation rules.

Usually QC requirements for analysis are specified by the method or laboratory practices. Therefore, QC configuration for org-scope schemes or template jobs is undertaken by users with an Organisation Manager or Organisation QC Manager role, and QC configuration for lab-scope schemes, schedule jobs or template jobs is undertaken by users with a Laboratory Manager or Laboratory QC Manager role.

QC samples can be registered into production or internal a job at registration by users with a Laboratory Manager or Office Manager role.

QC samples can be added to laboratory batch jobs or to any job at point of analysis by users with a Laboratory Supervisor or Laboratory Operator role.

The following processes are associated with QC assessment

• Assessing against detection limits and using upper schemes
• Assessing results against scheme or surrogate limits
• Assessing the accuracy of analysis
• Assessing the precision of analysis
• Assessing the product quality of samples
• Reviewing QC history.