POCT knowledge base
Guides and articles on point of care testing
26 in-depth, plain-language articles on quality, compliance, analytes and running a POCT service. Free to read, written for the people who do the work.
Community Pharmacy Point-of-Care Testing Guide
Pharmacy First opened the door to paid testing. See how to build a community pharmacy point-of-care testing menu with records that hold up at audit.
ReadService and operationsDecentralised Diagnostics in 2026: What It Demands
Decentralised diagnostics is moving testing into community centres, pharmacies, virtual wards and homes. What that shift demands of you in 2026.
ReadQuality controlHow Often to Run Point-of-Care QC: Risk-Based Guide
No single quality control frequency fits every point-of-care test. Score five factors to set the right QC cadence, with a ready-to-use matrix.
ReadAnalytes and devicesHow to Choose a Blood Gas Analyser: 9 Key Questions
Choosing a blood gas analyser? Nine questions on measured vs calculated parameters, co-oximetry, cost per test and QC workload before you buy.
ReadComplianceHow to Get UKAS Accreditation for POCT: Steps & Costs
How to get UKAS accreditation for POCT: the real steps, a realistic 6 to 12 month timeline and the costs UKAS never quotes upfront.
ReadAnalytes and devicesHow to Interpret Blood Gas Results: a Calm 4-Step Guide
How to interpret blood gas results with a repeatable four-step method: pH, then pCO2, then bicarbonate, plus the sample errors that distort numbers.
ReadService and operationsHow to Reduce Laboratory Turnaround Time
Most turnaround time hides before and after the test, not in the analyser. How to reduce laboratory turnaround time without cutting corners.
ReadService and operationsHow to Set Up Point-of-Care Testing in a Clinic
How to set up point-of-care testing in a clinic: define the menu, name a lead, set QC and training, then capture and audit every result.
ReadAnalytes and devicesINR Self-Testing vs Self-Management: Clinic Guide
INR self-testing or self-management at home? Who suits each, the evidence on time in range, and how to keep warfarin dosing records clean.
ReadComplianceISO 15189:2022 POCT Requirements: What Changed
ISO 22870 is withdrawn. The ISO 15189:2022 point of care testing requirements now sit in Annex A. See what your clinic must prove to assessors.
ReadComplianceISO 15189:2022 vs MHRA for POCT: The UK Compliance Map
Four UK bodies , ISO 15189:2022, UKAS, MHRA and CQC , each have a different ask of POCT services. This is the map of who does what, where they overl
ReadAnalytes and devicesKetone Testing and Increasing Strip Usage in POCT
A deep-dive on capillary ketone testing in NHS POCT , utilisation trends, procurement, governance, strip-format choices, and where waste is hiding.
ReadQuality controlLevey-Jennings Chart Interpretation Made Simple
Levey-Jennings chart interpretation in plain English. Spot shifts, trends, imprecision and fliers in your QC before they cause a result error.
ReadService and operationsManual Transcription Errors in Point-of-Care Testing
Manual transcription errors in point-of-care testing are common and easy to miss. See the evidence and how to capture results from your devices.
ReadQuality controlMeasurement Uncertainty (MU) in POCT: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to Measurement Uncertainty (MU) in Point-of-Care Testing , what it really is, how to calculate it from QC/EQA data, and how to alig
ReadCompliancePOCT Audit Checklist: What Assessors Ask to See
A practical POCT audit checklist: the SOPs, IQC logs, EQA reviews, competency files and lot traceability assessors actually ask to see.
ReadService and operationsPOCT on Virtual Wards Today: Devices, Teams and Workflow
How POCT really works on NHS Virtual Wards , the devices being used, the teams running them, the governance gaps, and why community POCT is still und
ReadAnalytes and devicesPoint-of-Care CRP Testing and Antibiotic Decisions
Point-of-care CRP testing explained: the bands, the evidence for safer antibiotic prescribing, and why a result only counts once it reaches the record
ReadAnalytes and devicesPoint-of-Care HbA1c Accuracy: Why Machines Disagree
Point-of-care HbA1c accuracy: why two analysers disagree, the NGSP window, interferences and QC habits that keep results sound.
ReadAnalytes and devicesPoint-of-Care Lactate Normal Range in Sepsis
Point-of-care lactate normal range explained: what 2 and 4 mmol/L mean in suspected sepsis, plus why serial trends beat a single reading.
ReadCompliancePoint-of-Care Testing Audit Trail: What Inspectors Check
What a defensible point-of-care testing audit trail looks like in practice, the fields inspectors check, and how to reconstruct any result end to end.
ReadQuality controlQC Out of Range: Step-by-Step Recovery Checklist
What to do when quality control is out of range: hold results, classify the error, find the cause, recalibrate and recall affected results.
ReadComplianceService Level Agreements (SLAs) for Point-of-Care Testing
How to design SLAs that actually work for Point-of-Care Testing , covering training, QC/EQA, maintenance, downtime, escalation paths and vendor accou
ReadComplianceThe 7 POCT Mistakes That Will Fail Your CQC Inspection in 2026
CQC inspectors have quietly tightened scrutiny of Point-of-Care Testing across the NHS and private clinics. These are the seven failures that come up
ReadAnalytes and devicesTypes of Point-of-Care Analysers: A Plain Guide
A plain guide to the types of point-of-care analysers, sorted by clinical job and device shape, with a quick which-clinic decision table.
ReadQuality controlWestgard Rules Explained: a POCT Operator's Guide
The Westgard rules explained for POCT staff: what each rule means, the action it triggers, and why a 1-2s is only a warning.
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