Location of laboratory
Department for Evaluations, Standards and Training (DEST), HPA Centre for Infections, Colindale
Name and postal address of the laboratory
 Department for Evaluations, Standards and Training
HPA Centre for Infections
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ
DX address
Telephone number for enquiries & fax number
 Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6038
Fax: +44 (0) 208 327 6008/9
Staff
Valerie Bevan
valerie.bevan@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6037
Director, Department for Evaluations, Standards and Training

Ruhi Siddiqui
ruhi.siddiqui@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6080
Unit Head, Standards Unit

Joe Vincini
joe.vincini@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6468
Unit Head, Quality Control Reagents Unit
DEST Laboratory Manager

Dr Keith Perry
keith.perry@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6949
Unit Head/Clinical Scientist, Evaluations Unit/HPA-MiDAS (Microbiological Diagnostics Assessment Service)

Dr Katrina Barlow
katrina.barlow@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6937
Deputy Unit Head/Clinical Scientist, Evaluations Unit/HPA-MiDAS (Microbiological Diagnostics Assessment Service)

Christine Burgess
christine.burgess@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6826
Evaluations Microbiologist, Evaluations Unit/HPA-MiDAS

Clare Harris
clare.harris@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 7075
Standard Methods Microbiologist

Jyotsna Vohra
jyotsna.vohra@hpa.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 208 327 6060
Standard Methods Microbiologist
What do we do?
 DEST Overview
The Department for Evaluations, Standards and Training (DEST) is an ISO 9001 accredited laboratory and brings together expertise in five areas of quality related services:

- Experience in evaluations and assessment of diagnostic devices and products related to microbiology for over 20 years
- Development of National Standard Methods, developed over the last 12 years in partnership with professional organisations, experts and working microbiologists from throughout the UK
- The provision of Quality Control Reagents to enable labs to monitor the performance of such diagnostic devices day-to-day
- Development and management of the quality system in the Centre for Infections
- Training courses in microbiology and public health open to health professionals world-wide.

DEST sits within the Centre for Infection of the Health Protection Agency. The Centre, employing over 800 staff, is renowned for its integrated microbiology and epidemiology services in responding to health alerts nationally and internationally. The Centre’s remit covers specialist and reference microbiology, microbial epidemiology and infectious disease surveillance. Working with others the Centre co-ordinates the investigation and cause of national and uncommon outbreaks, advising the UK Government on the risks posed by infectious diseases.


HPA-MiDAS, the Evaluations Unit
The Microbiological Diagnostics Assessment Service undertakes evaluations and reviews on diagnostic kits, equipment and healthcare products relevant to microbiology.

Our work is carried out in association with the Centre for Evidence Based Purchasing (CEP), NHS Blood and Transplant and the World Health Organisation (WHO). We also undertake evaluations for manufacturers. Evaluations are either undertaken at the HPA's Centre for Infections or at other HPA or NHS sites.

Aims:
- To undertake comparative evaluations
- To focus on device performance
- To be independent and unbiased
- To undertake evaluations in an accurate, efficient and timely manner
- To publish comprehensive reports
- To contribute to managed introduction of new technology


Quality Control Reagents Unit
The Quality Control Reagents Scheme is a service whose major functions are to:

- Supply clinical laboratories with quality control reagents
- Provide advice on best use of our reagents and help laboratories monitor these reagents
- Provide experienced help with problems associated with Internal Quality Control
- Provide information sheets (Instructions for Use) on products available
- Release News on new reagents being produced and new projects planned

All reagents provided by the QCRU are CE marked.
Annex II List A and List B reagents comply with Annex V (EC Type-Examination performed by the Notified Body KEMA Quality BV) and with Annex VII (EC Declaration of Conformity made to the MHRA) in accordance with the in-vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Directive, 98/79/EC. This includes all reagents for HIV, HBV, HCV and HTLV (List A) and CMV, Rubella and Toxoplasma (List B).


Standards Unit
The Standards Unit develops National Standard Methods (including SOPs, Clinical Testing Algorithms and Guidance Notes) for clinical and public health microbiology. We do this with colleagues from throughout the UK in multiprofessional working groups and in conjunction with professional organisations. We are currently moving in to new areas such as Syndromic (front end) testing algorithms and molecular methods.

We also communicate possible Technical Adverse Incidents to participating laboratories in conjunction with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and relevant manufacturers and suppliers.


Quality System Unit
The Quality System Unit provides support to all Laboratories within the Centre for Infections on quality related matters.
The Head of Quality runs a one-day course titled 'Internal quality auditing in the clinical pathology laboratory'. This has been running successfully for the last three years and is particularly relevant now that CPA have included the requirement to perform internal quality audits in the new CPA Standard.


Education and Training Unit
We manage and organise the CfI training programme which includes, conferences, seminars, lectures, workshops, events relating to communicable disease surveillance, outbreaks and course for microbiology. We support the Public Health SpR trainees (CfI is a designated national treasure for Public Health training and attracts approx 20 on short term attachment each year). We have responsibility for the Teaching Laboratory at CfI and are in the process of creating new laboratory training events for internal and external delegates.
Out of hours’ service
 Not applicable
Links
 Links to all of our webpages are available from: www.hpa.org.uk/cfi/esl

This page was updated on
 03/09/2008