Re-issue: Requirements for supervision in the clinical governance of medical pathology laboratories

The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, in collaboration with the National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) and the Commission, has re-issued the Requirements for supervision in the clinical governance of medical pathology laboratories (the Supervision Standard).

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The Supervision Standard has been reformatted with minimal changes to the content. Please read the summary of changes in the seventh edition.

The document has been re-issued to allow supervision provisions to continue in three areas of pathology with known national workforce shortages: immunology, genomics, and chemical pathology.

What does this mean for Australian pathology laboratories?

All accredited pathology laboratories are required to comply with the Supervision Standard from 1 August 2023.

All pathology tests are to be supervised by competent persons working within their Scope of Practice. This document describes the categories of pathology laboratories and the competencies and roles of key staff, including Pathologists, Clinical Scientists, Scientists and Technical Officers. It also describes alternative supervision arrangements allowed in specified laboratories.

Please contact your accrediting agency for information on the accreditation cycle and upcoming assessments.

Which laboratories can access the supervision provisions?

Only accredited pathology services existing at the time of the issue of the sixth edition of the Supervision Standard are eligible to use the provisions outlined within the document and only in the following areas of pathology: immunology, genomics, and chemical pathology.

Newly established laboratories and laboratories establishing new services are required to establish a workforce.

More information

Visit safetyandquality.gov.au/pathology

Topics
Accreditation
Pathology
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