Welcome to the Standards Unit

Comment on National Standard Methods

Who are we?

The Standards Unit develops National Standard Methods (including SOPs, Algorithms and Guidance Notes) for clinical and public health microbiology. We do this with colleagues throughout the UK in multiprofessional working groups and in conjunction with professional organisations.

We also communicate possible Technical Adverse Incidents to participating laboratories in conjunction with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and relevant manufacturers and suppliers.

Find out more about the development of national standard methods.

We previously contributed to "Benchmarks" in the quarterly journal, Communicable Disease and Public Health and the archived articles may be accessed here.

Frequently asked questions concerning the work of the Standards Unit

Where do we fit in?

Standards Unit is part of the Evaluations and Standards Laboratory in the HPA's Centre for Infections. The Standards Unit is one of 4 units in the Evaluations and Standards Laboratory.

The other three Units undertake the following:

The Microbiological Diagnostics Assessment Service assesses the performance of microbiological in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDDs) and associated equipment used to diagnose and manage infection

The Quality Control Reagents Unit produces Quality Control Reagents for virology / serology

The Quality Systems Unit provides support to all Laboratories within the Centre for Infections, Colindale on quality related matters