By MONIQUE DEVEREUX health reporter
An international accreditation report is shortly expected to fully endorse New Zealand's top medical laboratory, six months after a damning report highlighted serious shortcomings at the facility.
LabPlus failed accreditation in two of its nine sections in December, just 18 days after the state-of-the-art laboratory opened.
The $20
million LabPlus combined 13 laboratories previously spread around other buildings in central Auckland's public hospitals.
In its December report, International Accreditation New Zealand found the chemical pathology and virology/immunisation sections - which include diagnosis of heart attacks, HIV-Aids and hepatitis - were not up to international standard.
Urgent tests were taking up to 10 times longer than they had previously, there were no staff training or competence records, and some staff had been subjected to high levels of formaldehyde, which is used to preserve tissue specimens.
Several key positions at LabPlus were vacant, which had also caused concern, including the clinical pathology head of department, the team leader in the molecular genetics section, and the clinical and technical heads of histology (tissue testing).
IANZ reinspected LabPlus last Friday and yesterday the Auckland District Health Board said the initial, verbal, response had been positive.
The general manager (clinical support services), Fiona Ritsma, was told there had been significant improvement and that IANZ was "completely reassured."
The board expects LabPlus will be formally re-accredited for virology and immunisation testing within the next week and for chemical pathology by the end of the month.
Most of the vacant positions have either been filled or are being adequately covered.
The laboratory has been able to continue testing but was taking specimens only from Auckland hospitals. External testing contracts had been picked up by other laboratories around the country.
Health board chief executive Graeme Edmond said the board was committed to maintaining high-quality standards.
"The suspension of accreditation for two of our nine units in the LabPlus laboratory service was a major setback and disappointment," he said.
"We have made it a high priority to restore accreditation for LabPlus and to ensure the situation does not recur."
