APPLICATION FOR ACCREDITATION OF LABORATORY
FOR TRAINING CANDIDATES IN MICROBIOLOGY
Please refer to policies when preparing your application. All information will be treated with strictest
confidence by the Board of Education and Assessment (BEA)
Note: No application will be considered without the following:
(1) Attachment of a Training Program with detail of progression through the 5 years of training.
(2) Detail of how competency will be maintained in areas not adequately covered in the training
lab.
Please complete all sections of this form, sign and return to College.
Lab Name:
Address:
Area Health Service / District
Health Board (if applicable):
Telephone (switch):
Fax:
Contact person for
application?
Date:
Telephone
(direct):
Email:
RCPA ID No (if applicable – refer to RCPA lab accreditation letter):
Director / Departmental Head of
Laboratory Service:
If applicable, Director /
Departmental Head of
Microbiology Laboratory Service
Accreditation (NATA, IANZ, IS015189)
Is the Microbiology
Laboratory accredited?
Discipline category
(if relevant)
Accreditation agency?
Current accreditation
period
From:
To:
External proficiency program(s)
List program(s) that the laboratory currently
participates in (RCPA/ QAP; EMQN; CAP; etc)
Please tick the boxes below for training for Fellowship through the single-discipline examination
pathway and/or if your organisation has or is seeking accreditation for training in the Joint Specialist
Advisory Committee (JSAC) program with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Microbiology

JSAC (Microbiology/ID)
Document Number:
1
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms

Supervision
Supervisor(s) of Trainees
(if shared supervision, please indicate primary supervisor)
Name
Qualifications
Scope(s)
Date of
of
appointment
practice
RCPA
Supervisor
Training
Completed
(Year)
% of week in
laboratory
Number of funded EFT Pathologist positions with the Microbiology Laboratory Service
Pathologists, with their qualifications, contributing to the training program
(add extra lines if required)
Name
Qualifications
Scope(s)
Date of
of
appointment
practice
% of week in
laboratory
RCPA
Supervisor
Training
Completed
(Year)
Other medically qualified staff providing essential training (add extra lines if required)
Name
Qualifications
Date of appointment
% of week in
laboratory
Senior Scientific and Tech staff contributing to Trainee supervision (add extra lines if required)
Name
Qualifications
Area of technical
expertise
Date of Appt
NOTE: The RCPA should be informed of any periods of extended absence (eg. 4 weeks), long service leave or sick
leave of the supervisor/s. To ensure ongoing continuity of training the RCPA must be informed of the relief arrangement.
Document Number:
2
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
Microbiology Trainees
RCPA ONLY
RCPA ONLY
Please indicate the number of
trainees you wish to accommodate
at any one time
Duration of Training considered
appropriate (in years)?
Please note It is College policy to limit
training in one institution* to a
maximum of four years.
Number of current trainees
Total no. trainees over past 5 years
JSAC ONLY
JSAC ONLY
Please indicate the number of
trainees you wish to accommodate at
any one time
Number of current trainees
Duration of Training considered
appropriate (in years)?
Please note It is College policy to limit
training in one institution* to a
maximum of 3 years.
Total no. trainees over past 5 years
Summary details of current and past trainees exposed to Microbiology training
Name
Discipline
Year
training
started
Duration of
Microbiology
training?
Exam
progress?
JSAC or
RCPA
only
Training facilities
Comments (if applicable)
Professional Journals/ Library
Computer/ Internet facilities
Other (e.g. learning and
teaching aids, etc)
*To ensure that candidates for RCPA qualifications are exposed to more than one style and
philosophy of pathology practice, they are ordinarily limited to spending a maximum of 4 years
training in one laboratory. Where the same members of a pathology service/practice supervise
geographically separate laboratories, this may be viewed as training undertaken in a single
laboratory and may not fulfil the College requirements for employment in a different institution
unless significant differences in practice and supervision can be demonstrated. The JSAC trainee
should not have undertaken the Clinical Training in the same hospital.
Document Number:
3
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
SCOPE OF ACCREDITATION Assessment
Please complete the following table to provide information about the range and type of specimens
received each year
This laboratory data is requested to assist with determining the range of tests and samples
available to trainees.
The information collected in this document is used for the conduct of the assessment, reporting on
the assessment and the process of granting / continuing accreditation. It will not be disclosed to
any third party and remains confidential to the assessor and the RCPA
DATE Report PREPARED:
Please note that not all of the questions may be relevant to your laboratory.
You are invited to use free text to provide information which may not be appropriately covered by
the questions or comments on the questionnaire itself.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the RCPA office. Tel /fax
Please indicate by ticking the scope for which accreditation is sought at this assessment.
Only include examinations/tests which are currently performed.
MICROBIOLOGY
Bacteriology
Preparation of smears and microscopic examination of clinical specimens
Inoculation of cultures
Identification of organisms
Antibiotic susceptibility testing
Detection of bacterial antigens
Specialised antibiotic susceptibility testing procedures
Detection and characterisation of microbial DNA/RNA
Miscellaneous tests
Parasitology
Preparation and examination of smears for microscopy
Definitive identification of parasites
Detection and characterisation of parasitic DNA/RNA
Detection of parasitic antigens
Miscellaneous tests
Document Number:
4
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
Virology
Non-cultural methods of detection
Isolation of viruses
Definitive identification of viruses
Detection and characterisation of viral DNA/RNA
Miscellaneous tests
Mycology
Microscopic examination of clinical specimens
Culture of specimens
Limited identification of isolates
Definitive identification of isolates
Susceptibility tests to antifungal agents
Detection and characterisation of fungal DNA/RNA
Miscellaneous tests
Mycobacteriology
Microscopic examination of clinical specimens
Culture for isolation of mycobacteria
Limited identification of isolates
Definitive identification of isolates
Susceptibility testing
Detection and characterisation of mycobacterial DNA/RNA
Miscellaneous tests
Serology of infection
Limited serological testing
General serological testing
Specialised or uncommon serological testing procedures
Miscellaneous tests
Miscellaneous
Semen analysis (Screening Test)
Miscellaneous tests
Who authorises or validates reports?
Document Number:
5
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE LABORATORY
Please list examinations/tests which are performed by the laboratory on table.
Service provided to:
Hospitals (please list) (age ranges of patients)
Other (eg medical practitioners, community health centres)
Is the laboratory responsible for testing conducted outside this laboratory?
eg. intensive care units, operating theatres. If yes, please describe briefly.
Document Number:
6
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
EXAMINATIONS/TESTS PERFORMED IN YOUR LABORATORY
EXAMINATION/TEST
METHOD/INSTRUMENT OR
SYSTEM/MANUFACTURER
Schedule 1: Tests performed in your laboratory
Document Number:
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
7
PAGE
NO OF TESTS
PER MONTH
OF PAGES
BACKUP
PROCEDURE
EXAMPLE
SCHEDULE 1
PAGE OF PAGES
EXAMINATIONS/TESTS PERFORMED IN YOUR LABORATORY
EXAMINATION/TEST
METHOD/INSTRUMENT OR
SYSTEM/MANUFACTURER
MICROBIOLOGY
urine microscopy
urine culture
SEROLOGY
URINE/FAECES
chemical tests
Document Number:
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
8
NO OF TESTS
PER MONTH
BACKUP
PROCEDURE
Is the laboratory a specialised reference centre for any examinations/tests? If yes, please detail
Indicate the geographical area from which this laboratory receives specimens.
What are the operating hours of the laboratory?
Normal Laboratory Hours
Saturday
Sunday
Other information which may assist the assessor?
Document Number:
9
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms
To assist the College in monitoring the above policy, please list all regular rotation arrangements
below, specifying whether they are internal or external (ie to an operationally distinct service or
geographically separate site with different management, practice and supervision). Please note that
if Trainees participate in an external rotation, that site is required to be separately accredited.
Discipline
Site
Type of Rotation
Internal
External
Internal
External
Internal
External
Internal
External
Internal
External
Internal
External
Purpose of Rotation
Please indicate any additional areas listed under the discipline check lists in the Trainee Handbook
for which your laboratory is unable to provide training on site. Please state how these areas are/will
be covered.
Signature: ________________________________________ Date: _____________________
Completed application forms, together with all relevant training programs and other supporting
documentation, should be forwarded to the Registrar at the Royal College of Pathologists of
Australasia. You will be advised of your accreditation status following the next meeting of the Board
of Education and assessment (BEA)/ and or determination by the Chief Examiner.
Email to lab@rcpa.edu.au fax to 0015 61 2 8356 5828 or mail to RCPA, 207 Albion Street, Surry
Hills NSW 2010 Australia.
Thank you for your support of pathology training.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE
ACCEPTED WITHOUT A TRAINING PROGRAM
Document Number:
10
Document Name: Microbiology Lab Accreditation Application form
Document Path: BOC - Lab accreditation - Forms - Current Accreditation application forms