Cellular pathology technique: evolution of a UK NEQAS scheme

UK NEQAS Cellular Pathology Technique (CPT) provides worldwide external quality assessment (EQA) and proficiency testing for all aspects of tissue diagnostics. The not-for-profit organisation had been based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead since 2011, but the hospital’s need for more space to provide additional testing facilities for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic prompted a move to the newly-opened Haylofts Business Centre in neighbouring Newcastle Upon Tyne city centre.

                Chantell Hodgson, Scheme Manager for UK NEQAS CPT, explained: “We’re certainly a growing organisation, which is one of the reasons why we were already looking to acquire additional space, but the emergence of COVID-19 accelerated relocation to cope with our expanding business. Our core team has taken over innovative office space on the top floor of Haylofts in the old Newcastle Brewery Stables. We looked at offices across Tyneside, but Haylofts ticked all of our boxes. It couldn’t be more central, which was important to us as we have many visitors and the accessibility here is great. There’s also plenty of room; the new offices have a very high specification and the broadband speeds are very impressive.”

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