Management Commitment

Dermpath laboratories management is committed to implementing and maintaining quality within our practice. Our quality system incorporates all aspects of our operations. Management has the ultimate responsibility for the quality system. However, there is delegation of responsibility and authority to all staff in the activities they undertake. We ensure that the staff understands what they need to do in order to maintain and improve quality and to ensure that they have the capabilities and resources to achieve it. We also check that the staff has sufficient time to achieve control over the operations covered by the laboratory's NATA accreditation.

We ensure that all our staff will be aware of our quality policy and its implications for them. The range and reliability of our service will be constantly reviewed and upgraded when appropriate, as part of our quality planning. A high level of expertise will be assured by employing staff with sound knowledge of the sciences associated with the testing.

Our senior staff has a proven ability to supervise subordinate staff. It is the responsibility of the Laboratory Manager to ensure that the ratio of supervising : supervised staff is adequate to maintain control over our operations

Out of hours staff are supported by senior staff who are contactable by phone.

The maintenance of a high level of staff competence is assured by encouraging the continuous development of skills and providing a workplace environment conducive to productivity and staff harmony. It is the aim of the management to provide the staff with an environment in which they are able to perform their tasks without any undue pressure that may influence their technical judgement. This includes comfortable laboratory accommodation providing an environment that satisfies conditions specified in the test methods, and sufficient space for staff to perform their duties effectively.

A close relationship is maintained with clients by laboratory management, particularly for the provision of follow-up technical and interpretative professional advice.

All staff have been informed that results are provided only to the doctor, unless there is advice otherwise, or there is a legal requirement. The Lab Manager must be consulted if a party apart from the doctor wants results.

QUALITY RELATED FUNCTIONS

Functions critical to the quality of our services and the people responsible for compliance are as follows ;

CRITICAL EVENT	RESPONSIBILITY
Pick up and delivery of specimens	Courier / Staff
Maintenance of sample integrity	Departmental staff
Equipment function	Department staff
Verification of test results	Pathologist
Interpretation of results	Pathologist
Dispatch of results	Courier staff
Maintenance of records	Departmental staff/ Laboratory Manager
Occupational Health and Safety	Safety Officers / Laboratory Manager

Verification of resource and personnel requirements

Requirements for personnel and resources are established by, but not limited to, findings from internal audit reviews which are reported to the management in monthly Management Review Meetings. Decisions in this area are related to company growth and are made in accordance with strategic objectives.