Concateno plc - global drug testing services

 

Glossary of Terms

Accreditation

Credit or recognition for obtaining and maintaining certain standards by a recognised body.

Certificate of Analysis

A simple report of laboratory results. Certificates will list the drug groups tested for, and a result of ‘detected’ or ‘not detected’.

Chain of Custody

The procedures in place throughout the life-cycle of a sample (from sample collection through to reporting of results) which maintain sample integrity. Without a strict chain of custody, an analysis may be challenged in court.

DAAT

Drug & Alcohol Action Teams help people with drug and alcohol addiction problems at a local level.

DAT

Drug Action Teams are the partnerships responsible for delivering the drug strategy at a local level.

DIP

Drug Intervention Programme. The Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) is a critical part of the Government’s strategy for tackling drugs.

DRR

Drug Rehabilitation Requirement. A Drug Rehabilitation requirement provides fast access to a drug treatment programme with the goal of reducing drug related offending.

Drug Group

A collection of chemically similar compounds. A drug group can contain both specific drugs and metabolites. Every drug belongs to a particular drug group; for example, heroin belongs to the opiates drug group.

GC-MS

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, an analytical confirmation process used in our laboratory to identify which specific drugs within a drug group are present in the sample.

GC-MS/MS

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/ Mass Spectrometry, an analytical confirmation process used in our laboratory which detects lower levels of drugs than GC-MS (we use this process in particular for cannabis detection, where the drug is incorporated into hair at much lower levels than other drugs).

LC-MS/MS

Stands for Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/ Mass Spectrometry, another analytical confirmation process used to identify which specific drugs within a drug group are present in the sample.

ILAC

International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. An international cooperation of laboratory and inspection bodies formed to ensure the standardisation of quality standards globally.

ISO/IEC 17025:2005

The international accreditation standard specifying the requirements to demonstrate competence and performance capability in laboratory testing or calibration procedures. Testing and calibration laboratories that comply with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 will also operate in accordance with ISO 9001:2008.

ISO 9001:2008

An international standard specifying the requirements for an internal quality management system which meets customer requirements and enhances customer satisfaction.

Metabolite

A substance produced when a drug is taken and broken down by the body.

NTA

National Treatment Agency. The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) is a special health authority within the NHS, established by Government in 2001 to improve the availability, capacity and effectiveness of treatment for drug misuse in England.

Oral Fluid

Substance found in the mouth comprised of saliva, gingival crevicular fluid (mucosal transudate), and small amounts of other components.

PCT

Primary Care Trust. Primary care is the care provided by people when you first have a health problem. It might be a visit to a doctor or a dentist or an optician for an eye test. NHS walk-in centres and the NHS Direct phone line service are also part of primary care. All of these services are managed by a local primary care trust (PCT). There are currently 152 PCTs in England.

POCT

Point of Care Testing (POCT) is a detection technique carried out beside or near to the individual being tested, immediately after they have provided a sample for detection. 

PPO

Prolific and other Priority Offenders. This is a cross-Government initiative to tackle those offenders who have been locally identified as committing the most crime and causing the most harm to their communities.  It is a crime reduction programme with a reducing re-offending focus.

ROL

Release On Licence. There are three types of release on licence; compassionate, facility and resettlement. Each of the three types of licence has regulations attached.

UKAS

United Kingdom Accreditation Service, the sole national body recognised by the Government to assess quality standards within laboratories.

Urine

Liquid waste from the body that is stored in the bladder.

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