AQMLM is a personal initiative of Dr Jonathan Middle and a small group of UK healthcare scientists in the specialist area of laboratory medicine quality.
Honorary President : Dr David Burnett OBE BSc PhD FRCPath
Consultant Clinical Biochemist in the NHS. Awarded the OBE for services to Clinical Biochemistry (1996), Fellow of the RCPath (1998) and Emeritus Member of the ACB (1999). Recent awards include the ‘The Westgard Quality Award 2007’ and the IFCC’s Henry Wishinsky Award for Distinguished International Service (2008).
Involved in CPA(UK)Ltd since its inception and currently a member of the Standards, Training and Education. Member of BSI/TC212, leader of the British delegation to ISO/TC 212 and co-leader of the ISO 15189 revision group. Member of the Standards and Accreditation Group of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry (EFCC).
Visiting lecturer/workshop leader in Australia, Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean and Middle East. Author of ‘A Practical Guide to Accreditation in Laboratory Medicine'.
"Laboratory medicine in the NHS continues to face many new challenges, not least in the area of standards and accreditation and the establishment of ‘Quality standards’ – as set out in the Darzi and Carter reports. The importance of quality in the implementation of these reports is crucial, although sadly you will search in vain for recognition of the role of those who implement it. The formation of an ‘Association for Quality Management in Laboratory Medicine’, with its dual focus on analytical as well as process quality, is needed not only to offer opportunities for sharing experience and providing training and development, but also to raise the profile of this emerging speciality in laboratory medicine with Government. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to support this exciting venture".
Chairman : Dr Jonathan Middle BA MA PhD
Consultant Clinical Scientist University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Organiser UK NEQAS for Steroid Hormones and UK NEQAS for Glycated Haemoglobins. Quality Manager for Birmingham Quality (UK NEQAS Birmingham); founder member and webmaster for the West Midlands Clinical Laboratory Quality Managers Association; Chairman (1998-2001) UK NEQAS Executive Committee; Chairman EQAS Participants Meeting Charity; member IFCC Committee on Traceability; member ACB National Audit Committee; member CLIS sub-committee on evaluation of trueness and imprecision; member JCTLM review team; ACB West Midlands Meetings Secretary.
Jonathan began professional life as a research tumour immunologist, then moved into NHS clinical biochemistry in 1980. After seven years as a practising routine clinical biochemist, he became an EQA Organiser in 1987 and has been actively involved in this work at the highest level for over 20 years. Jonathan is passionate about accurate measurement and metrological traceability, and in the education of all laboratory professionals in quality matters.
"Quality Management is not just about quality systems and CPA accreditation. In laboratory medicine there is a pre-eminent moral and professional imperative to produce accurate results which are comparable wherever they are produced. This objective has not been achieved in many analytical areas, and must be focussed on with equal vigour by all involved.
Associate Directors :
Dr Richard Daw BSc PhD FCQI CQP
Recently retired as Pathology (Group) Quality Manager for the Pathology Laboratories in University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Chair of the West Midlands Clinical Laboratory Quality Managers Association, having been a founder member and Chairman from it’s inception.
Richard joined the NHS in 1969 then moved to London and became a junior MLSO. In 1974 he started on the road that led to a degree in Biochemistry at Sussex, a PhD in Cardiff and a post-doctoral research post in Cambridge. He joined the West Midlands Blood Transfusion Service (later part of the NBS) to start up both quality management and research & development and became a Grade ‘C’ Clinical Scientist and honorary lecturer at Birmingham University. He joined the CDS Group (TelePath) eventually as Head of Project Management, then after a spell in Clinical Governance became Quality Manager at UHB.
In 2006 Richard was awarded a Fellowship with the Institute of Quality Assurance, which, with the grant of a Royal Charter became the Chartered Quality Institute. Richard is also a Chartered Quality Professional.
"My particular interest is in process quality management. In a modern clinical laboratory environment evidence is key, evidence that you are doing a good job, and that you are engaging in quality improvement. Effective quality management supports the bottom line by aiding competitiveness and supports good clinical governance, not least because it covers your back. In this light quality managers are, I think, emerging as a professional laboratory grouping in their own right."
Mr Alan Dench C.Biol., M.I.Biol.
Alan has over 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry and NHS. Throughout his career he has developed expertise in the effective implementation and maintenance of quality systems within laboratories, clinics and manufacturing operations. As the former Quality Manager for the Regional Laboratory for Toxicology at City Hospital in Birmingham (2003-2008) he successfully managed the implementation and maintenance of the ISO17025 quality system standard, in addition to ensuring that the laboratory met its requirements to the CPA standard. His time is now divided between being Quality Manager for a medical device manufacturer, and providing independent quality management consultancy advice. He is also completing his MBA at Durham University.
"I am fully supportive of the aims and aspirations of AQMLM which will be an excellent training and networking opportunity for those responsible for the implementation and maintenance of quality systems. I particularly consider that the AQMLM aim of bringing together both analytical and process quality is a vital attribute as it is clear that both are essential for an effective quality system."
Dr Gwen Wark
Gwen is Consultant Clinical Scientist at the Royal Surrey Hospital at Guildford and Organiser of the UK NEQAS service for Insulin, C-peptide, IGF-1 & IGFBP. Further details will follow shortly.
These individuals will direct AQMLM with the assistance of others co-opted from the membership who are strongly committed to the aims and objectives of AQMLM.
Consultant Clinical Biochemist in the NHS. Awarded the OBE for services to Clinical Biochemistry (1996), Fellow of the RCPath (1998) and Emeritus Member of the ACB (1999). Recent awards include the ‘The Westgard Quality Award 2007’ and the IFCC’s Henry Wishinsky Award for Distinguished International Service (2008).
Consultant Clinical Scientist University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Organiser UK NEQAS for Steroid Hormones and UK NEQAS for Glycated Haemoglobins. Quality Manager for Birmingham Quality (UK NEQAS Birmingham); founder member and webmaster for the West Midlands Clinical Laboratory Quality Managers Association; Chairman (1998-2001) UK NEQAS Executive Committee; Chairman EQAS Participants Meeting Charity; member IFCC Committee on Traceability; member ACB National Audit Committee; member CLIS sub-committee on evaluation of trueness and imprecision; member JCTLM review team; ACB West Midlands Meetings Secretary.
Recently retired as Pathology (Group) Quality Manager for the Pathology Laboratories in University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Chair of the West Midlands Clinical Laboratory Quality Managers Association, having been a founder member and Chairman from it’s inception.
Alan has over 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry and NHS. Throughout his career he has developed expertise in the effective implementation and maintenance of quality systems within laboratories, clinics and manufacturing operations. As the former Quality Manager for the Regional Laboratory for Toxicology at City Hospital in Birmingham (2003-2008) he successfully managed the implementation and maintenance of the ISO17025 quality system standard, in addition to ensuring that the laboratory met its requirements to the CPA standard. His time is now divided between being Quality Manager for a medical device manufacturer, and providing independent quality management consultancy advice. He is also completing his MBA at Durham University.