A7 - Good Scientific and Clinical Practice

• What are the principles of good practice in scientific and clinical settings?

  Using standard operating procedures(SOPs)

  Effectively managing calibration and maintenance of equipment and work areas

  Effectively managing stock

  Appropriately storing products, materials and equipment
• What is an SOP?

  A set of sequential steps or instructions designed to standardise the approach to a process or action
• Why is it important for everyone to follow SOPs?

  Maintains health and safety

  Enabling consistency of approach

  Meeting any legal or organisational requirements

  Upholding professional standards

  Demonstrating compliance for audit purposes
• How would you access SOPs for a given activity?

  Carry out detailed index searches (e.g. via manuals or intranet)

  Complete detailed staff induction and ongoing training

  Ensure the SOP is the most up-to-date version

  Ensure all relevant documentation has been completed and signed
• What are the potential impacts of not regularly cleaning and preparing work areas for use?

  Risks to health and safety

  • spread of infection
  • production of toxic/dangerous by-products

  Invalid results

  • Contamination/cross-contamination

  Inefficient working practices and damage to equipment

  • Leads to increased costs and timescales
• What are the potential impacts of not maintaining, cleaning and servicing equipment?

  Risks to health and safety

  • increased risk of injury
  • spread of infection

  Invalid results

  • contamination/cross-contamination

  Reduced function of equipment

  • decreased lifespan of equipment
  • increased cost and timescales
• Why is it important to calibrate and test equipment to ensure it is fit for use?

  Ensures accuracy of measurements

  Prolongs the life of equipment

  Meets legal requirements
• How would you escalate concerns if equipment is not correctly calibrated/unsuitable for intended use?

  Take the equipment out of action

  Label the equipment as being out of use if appropriate

  Report concerns to the relevant person in line with organisational policies and procedures

  Record concerns according to organisational procedures
• Why is it important to order and manage stock?

  Ensures efficient supply of required consumables and materials

  Ensures materials are used before their expiry date

  Reduces the costs of excess stock

  Improves efficiency

  Improves productivity

  Ensures safety of stock
• What are the potential consequences of incorrectly storing products, materials and equipment?

  Cross-contamination

  Breakdown of limited stability products

  Products exceeding expiry dates

  Loss of samples or degradation of reagents not stored at the correct temperature

  Risks to health and safety

  Stock is difficult to locate

  Financial loss