Day one will be a half-day introducing Weqas Connect (our new participant platform), including new report interpretation. Day two will be a full day of seminars covering ‘Covid-19 and the effects on healthcare delivery’.

TOPICS COVERED

The annual conference will include:

  • Awareness of the changes and additional functionality of the new Weqas EQA participant platform
  • Understanding how to navigate the website to use the self-service function; to manage EQA participation, manage operators, equipment and methods, enter results, download reports and undertake data extraction.
  • Awareness of the different types of reports and understanding the statistical methods and information provided in these reports i.e. managerial, standard laboratory user, POCT co-ordinator and simplified (POCT) user reports.
  • Understand the analytical errors in laboratory diagnostics; how to identify systematic proportional, constant, mixed errors and errors of imprecision. Be able to select appropriate statistical tools to solve analytical problems.
  • Demonstrate competency to use problem-solving tools to interpret reports, identify the errors and suggest remedial action through practical assessment in a case-based workshop.
  • Understands the scientific/clinical utility of the use of angiogenic markers in clinical practice and the changing landscape of pre-eclampsia diagnosis.
  • Awareness of the different analytes/methods used as pre-eclampsia biomarkers, their performance and limitations as identified in the Weqas EQA programme.
  • Discuss the results of the National Audit of laboratories on their perceived “impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare delivery”.
  • Understand the Virology, transmission, pathogenesis and genomics of SARS-Cov-2 respiratory virus and the transformation of Virology Diagnostic services to manage the pandemic and unfolding clinical picture.
  • Understand and discuss the impact of the Covid–19 pandemic on transforming POCT services.
  • Understanding the utilisation of SARS-Cov-2 Antibody tests in immunosuppressed patients, and the use of Ronapreve treatment
  • Awareness of the different analytes/methods used to measure SARS-Cov-2 Antibody, their performance and limitations as identified in the Weqas EQA programme.
  • Awareness of methods used and performance for procalcitonin, POCT influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 Antigen as identified in the Weqas EQA programme.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The event is for EQA programme participants.

SPEAKERS TO INCLUDE

  • Annette Thomas, Director of Weqas and Consultant Clinical Biochemist
  • Samantha Jones, Weqas Operations Manager, and Training Officer
  • Gareth Davies, Weqas Principal Biochemist and Research and Development Manager
  • Professor Tim James, Clinical Biochemistry Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Dr David Housley, Consultant Clinical Biochemist, Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS FT and Weqas Steering Committee member
  • Rachel Jones, Clinical Lead Microbiology Cardiff and Consultant Virologist, Department of Microbiology Cardiff, Public Health Wales

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

  • 11:00 - 07/12/2021 to 16:15 - 08/12/2021
  • Voco St. David's Cardiff, Havannah Street, Cardiff, CF10 5SD, United Kingdom