Capital External Quality Assessment Scheme

SRUC’s Veterinary Services Capital External Quality Assessment Scheme otherwise known as C-QAS, aims to assist veterinary practices in meeting their quality requirements. It is one of the UK’s largest External Quality Assessment (EQA) Schemes – serving over 709 sites with over 930 biochemistry and 580 haematology analysers plus 30 coagulations analysers. The scheme offers independent peer comparison and proficiency testing for biochemistry, endocrinology, blood gas, coagulation and haematology analysers.

C-QAS programmes

Five programmes are available, with parameters relevant to the companion animal and livestock species:

• Clinical chemistry: albumin, ALP, ALT, amylase, AST, Betahydroxybutarate (ketone), bile acids, bilirubin total, calcium, chloride, cholesterol, CK, creatinine, Fructosamine, GDH, GGT, glucose, LDH, lipase, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, SDMA, sodium, thyroxine, total protein, triglycerides, urea.
• Endocrine: cortisol, insulin, progesterone, thyroxine.
• Coagulation: prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen.
• Blood gases and electrolytes: ionised calcium, chloride, creatinine, glucose, lactate, pCO2, pH, pO2, potassium, sodium, urea.
• Haematology: red cell count, haemoglobin, PCV/haematocrit, MCV, MCH, platelets, white cell count, neutrophil %, lymphocyte %, monocyte %, eosinophil %, basophil %.
• Manual white cell differential counts: neutrophil %, lymphocyte %, monocyte %, eosinophil %, basophil %.