Pathology service accreditation has come a long way in the last 25 years. Although the principles of accreditation haven’t changed since its roots were established back in the 1960s, the process is constantly evolving as a source of confidence to regulators, commissioners, laboratories and – most importantly – patients. The catalyst for the most recent changes was the Report of the Review of NHS Pathology Services in England, chaired by Lord Carter of Coles (1). Aside from criticizing the low number of fully accredited laboratories, the report had two key recommendations: first, that “objective and measurable quality standards should be developed,” and second, that “pathology service providers… should be subject to mandatory accreditation by an [independent] organization.”

At a Glance Accreditation gives laboratories, regulators and service users confidence in pathology

National accrediting bodies like UKAS are responsible for ensuring that service providers uphold the internationally recognized ISO 15189 standard

In the UK, the previous CPA standard will be withdrawn in 2018, so ISO 15189 accreditation is a priority for NHS England

Accredited labs are able to reduce risks, control costs and stimulate innovation, providing patients with high-quality services