Experiences from the assessment of proficiency testing providers

Following a pilot project in 2001–2002, UKAS accredited nine PT providers. During the course of the pilot and at subsequent surveillance visits, UKAS has gained experience in assessing organisations against the criteria detailed within ISO/IEC Guide 43-1:1997 and ILAC G13:2000. This article explores some of the key aspects that arose during the pilot and how UKAS has accommodated the addition of the accreditation of PT providers in to its range of services.Presented at the Eurachem PT Workshop September 2005, Portorož, Slovenia