Guidelines for Approved Pathology Collection Centres (Requirements for medical pathology specimen collection) (Third Edition 2013)

This document was published by the National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) whilst under the governance of the Department of Health and Aged Care. From 1 July 2021, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) assumed responsibility for coordinating the National Pathology Accreditation (NPA) Scheme and supporting the development of the pathology accreditation standards.

Requirements for medical pathology specimen collection (Third Edition 2013) is currently in use.

The Commission is undergoing a review process for each of the pathology standards. To remain up to date on upcoming consultations and to provide input, please visit the pathology accreditation standards and sign up now for ongoing updates.

For enquiries about the NPA Scheme or the resources, email pathology@safetyandquality.gov.au.

The Guidelines for Approved Pathology Collection Centres (Requirements for Medical Pathology Specimen Collection) details the minimum requirements for best practice for all specimen collection, including premises, staffing, equipment, documentation and procedures for collection.



The Requirements apply to Approved Collection Centres, Hospital Collection Points and any collection activity connected to an Approved Pathology Authority.

This document must be read in conjunction with the Tier 2 document - Requirements for Medical Pathology Services.