Checklists

Printer-friendly version

In the drop-down menus you can find the checklist of each phase. Using the print button in the right-top corner of the pages the checklists can be printed in the most optimal format.

The checklists can have multiple purposes:

• To check the progress of implementing activities of this tool, i.e. implementing the quality management system.
• To identify gaps in the system.
• As the checklists contain many technical questions probing details of procedures or laboratory figures they can also serve as "eye-openers". E.g. through a checklist question you may be reminded of a detail or a procedure for which no SOP has been made.

The checklists include/cover the complete Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. This means that laboratories enrolled in the SLIPTA/SLMTA programme can also use this GLI tool for extra guidance (SLMTA: Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation).

Warning: checklists may be a useful tool for assessing progress made. However, the risk of using a checklist to assess a laboratory is that the focus of the assessor is narrowed to the point that he/she only checks the detail asked for by the checklist. When using a checklist be alerted to this; use the checklist to direct the focus to a specific subject but always keep track of the background. Try to discover if, and how everything works in the system. A good way is for example to think in the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. E.g. when assessing the reporting system of the laboratory, identify the planning of the reporting: is there a proper SOP present underlying the reporting procedure. Do: is the SOP consequently followed, are registers up-to-date, are copies of every report consequently and adequately archived. Check: is the functioning of this system checked through controls; is the correctness of the report checked, is verified that every report has been sent to the requester, etc. Act: ("what if") are there backups in case the register is lost, are there arrangements in case a report is lost, is there a procedure to follow when the requester calls-in and wants to get the results via telephone, etc.

Checklist Phase 1 | Checklist Phase 2 | Checklist Phase 3 | Checklist Phase 4