Test Labs Successfully Completed ISO 17025 UKAS Reassessment

Successfully Completing our ISO 17025 UKAS Reassessment

At Test Labs, we are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of work while striving for continuous improvement. A key part of this commitment is maintaining our ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, which provides our customers with the confidence and assurance they deserve.

Each year, we undergo an annual surveillance assessment conducted by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). However, this year’s visit was a little different. In April, we welcomed three UKAS assessors, across three days, for a comprehensive reassessment as part of our four-year accreditation cycle. Being able to announce that we successfully completed this reassessment with a recommendation for continued accreditation is a massive achievement for the team.

Understanding ISO/IEC 17025

ISO/IEC 17025 is an internationally recognised standard designed to assess against requirements for competence, impartiality and consistent operation of testing or calibration laboratories. For testing laboratories, this accreditation verifies not only quality management system elements such as documentation control and continual improvement but also technical requirements, such as method validation, measurement uncertainty and equipment calibration.

Within the medical device industry, test results can directly affect regulatory submissions, product approvals and patient safety. This is why here at Test Labs; we understand that having and maintaining our accreditations and certifications such as to ISO 17025 is critical to:

• Ensure regulatory compliance: notified bodies and the FDA often require (or at least strongly prefer) test data from accredited laboratories
• Increase data integrity: having a quality management system complying to standards such as ISO 17025 helps to ensure data is accurate, traceable and performed to recognised/appropriate testing standards
• Mitigate risks: by proactively identifying risks and areas for improvement helps to align and correct potential sources of errors
• Strengthen credibility with clients: accreditation sends a clear message that the highest quality of work is being met

Reassessment Audit at Test Labs

Accreditation isn’t just a one-time thing. It is an ongoing journey to ensure quality is maintained, changes in the industry are being kept up to date with and there is a commitment to improvement.

The reassessment audit process with UKAS for ISO/IEC 17025 is a comprehensive evaluation carried out at the end of the certification cycle to thoroughly evaluate continued compliance with the standard. Over the three days, the auditors broke down each clause of the standard to review what processes were in place and then the team provided evidence to show compliance. With minor findings raised, Test Labs obtained a recommendation for continued accreditation, signifying compliance with the standard.

As well as this, at the end of the audit, during the closing meeting, the assessors gave a range of feedback including highlighting the positive progress made on a number of improvements which had been made since the last audit.

Looking ahead

We view this milestone not only as a recognition of our team’s hard work, but also as a driving force to keep moving forward. As we enter the next accreditation cycle, we remain committed to investing in our people, processes, and systems — ensuring we not only meet but exceed expectations.