Accreditation to MS ISO 15189
Gribbles Pathology (M) S/B is committed to providing high quality services and continuous quality improvements. This is achieved through internal quality audits and external accreditations.

Gribbles Pathology (M) S/B was the first major private pathology laboratory in Malaysia to be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by NATA in October 2003.

In late 2003, ISO (International Organization for Standards) released the ISO 15189 – Medical Laboratories – Particular Requirements for Quality and Competence.

Gribbles Pathology (M) S/B successfully converted the ISO/IEC 17025 to MS ISO 15189 in February 2006. This was achieved through Standards Malaysia. In doing so, Gribbles became the first major private laboratory to achieve a comprehensive scope of accreditation in the fields of Chemical Pathology, Histopathology, Cytopathology, Haematology, Microbiology and Virology.


External Quality Assurance
It has been common practice in all Gribbles Pathology (M) S/B laboratories to have stringent internal quality control procedures & practices.

Gribbles Pathology (M) S/B also has extensive and active participation in external Quality Assurance Programs mainly from the RCPA-QAP (Royal College of Pathologist of Australasia – Quality Assurance Program) as well as other schemes from Australia and the UK.

                    


External Quality Assurance Programs

SECTION	PROGRAMME	FREQUENCY
Bacteriology	RCPA Urine RCPA Skin RCPA Throat RCPA Faeces RCPA Respiratory RCPA Genital RCPA Wound / Pus (aerobic) RCPA Wound / Pus (anaerobic) RCPA Mycobacteriology RCPA Difficult / Blood RCPA Susceptibility testing RCPA Mycology RCPA Parasitology RCPA Urine Pregnancy	8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly 8x yearly Quarterly Quarterly Monthly
Biochemistry	RCPA General Chemistry & Therapeutic Drugs RCPA Urine Toxicology RCPA Special Drugs RCPA IGF-CPP RCPA Basic Urine Chemistry RCPA Neonatal Bilirubin RCPA Endocrine RCPA Tumour Markers RCPA Special Lipids RCPA Alcohol RCPA Immunology (Immunoglobulins, RHE & CRP)	Fortnightly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly
Cytology	RCPA Gynaecological Module RCPA Liquid Based Gynaecological Module RCPA General Cytopathology Module RCPA FNA Module	Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly
Haematology	RCPA FBC RCPA Manual Differential RCPA Auto Differential RCPA Morphology RCPA Routine Haemostasis RCPA Special Haemostasis RCPA G6PD LABQAS Malaria Parasite Testing RCPA Blood grouping & transfusion RCPA Infectious Mononucleosis RCPA HbA1c	Monthly Monthly 2x yearly Quarterly 5x yearly 2x yearly 2x yearly Quarterly 6x yearly 6x yearly Monthly
Histopathology	RCPA Diagnostic Modules RCPA Breast Module RCPA Immunohistochemistry RCPA Laboratory Techniques	5x yearly 5x yearly 2x yearly 3x yearly
Immunology	RCPA AN Program (Anti-nuclear Antibodies) RCPA TA Program (Mitochondrial Ab, Parietal Cell Ab, Smooth Muscle Ab, Thyroglobulin Ab, Thyroid Microsome Ab) RCPA EN Program (ENA, anti-DNA, anti-phospholipid)	Monthly 8x yearly 8x yearly
PCR	RCPA HBV (Viral load), HIV (Viral load), HCV (Viral load) RCPA M. tuberculosis RCPA Chlamydia/N. gonorrhoeae	Quarterly 2x yearly 2x yearly
Serology	RCPA Antenatal Serology (Rubella, RPR, TPHA, HBsAg) RCPA Bacterial Serology (H. pylori, Mycoplasma, Streptococcus) RCPA Hepatitis Serology (A, B, C) RCPA Lymphadenopathy Serology (Toxoplasma, Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr Virus) RCPA Retrovirus Serology (HIV, HTLV) RCPA Viral Serology (Herpes Simplex) NEQAS (IMR) HIV	Quarterly 2x yearly 6x yearly Quarterly 6x yearly 2x yearly 2x yearly

Abbreviations:

RCPA	Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs
NEQAS(IMR)	National External Quality Assurance Scheme (Institute for Medical Research)
EQAS (NRL)	External Quality Assessment Schemes for Nucleic Acid Testing (National Serology Reference Laboratory)

Training & Development
Training and Development is an essential component of any organization. This is carried out through a formal structured course in close association with a Pathologist or experienced Senior Staff in the routine laboratory.

Each staff member’s performance is under constant review by the section supervisor and the Head of Department. Formal lectures are organized from time to time, delivered by internal and external guest lecturers. The National Training Programme will be instituted regularly; organized either centrally or in smaller groups at the regions.

Staff development is further augmented by attendance at relevant external seminars, talks, workshops and exhibitions both at National and International levels.

As a policy, Gribbles also encourages individuals to pursue study courses leading to additional qualification relating to their line of work.

Apart from staff development, Gribbles continues to provide training attachment for Biomedical Scientists, Biochemists, Microbiologists, IT personnel and Medical Students from Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the private sector such as International Medical University and Monash University Malaysia. Nilai College has an arrangement with Gribbles for a formal structured attachment for their students.