If you’re looking for drug and alcohol testing results for use in a court of family law, it’s essential to choose a lab with ISO 17025 accreditation to carry out the testing and provide a report of their findings. Laboratories that are ISO 17025 accredited adhere to specific standards recognised by governments and, as such, are most trusted by courts and local authorities.
ISO 17025 specifies the general requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of laboratories. ISO 17025 is applicable to all organisations performing laboratory activities, regardless of the number of personnel. Laboratory customers, regulatory authorities, organisations and schemes using peer-assessment, accreditation bodies, and others use ISO 17025 in confirming or recognising the competence of laboratories.
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the only national accreditation body recognised by the government to assess (against internationally agreed standards) organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection, and calibration services. UKAS accreditation demonstrates a laboratory’s competency in testing, ensures the results’ reliability, and delivers confidence in the knowledge of the testing laboratory.
To achieve ISO 17025 accreditation, laboratories must demonstrate their knowledge, competency and much more. According to UKAS, “the technical competence of a laboratory depends on several factors, including:
- The qualifications, training and experience of the staff
- The right equipment – properly calibrated and maintained
- Adequate quality assurance procedures
- Proper sampling practices
- Appropriate testing procedures
- Valid test methods
- Traceability of measurements to national standards
- Accurate recording and reporting procedures
- Suitable testing facilities” [source]
ISO 17025 accreditation shows that a laboratory has a suitable quality management system and the ability and competence to provide thorough testing and results. At Lextox, we follow strict quality assurance procedures to deliver legally defensible analysis results and expert reports accepted in every UK family court.
By choosing an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory for drug and alcohol testing intended for use in family court, you show that you are selecting a trusted and reliable company. The court knows that the results and analysis you present are trustworthy and that the testing laboratory has conducted rigorous and stringent testing.
If you’re looking for a trusted, professional laboratory with ISO 17025 accreditation, Lextox is here to help. We are accredited to carry out hair drug testing, hair alcohol testing, blood alcohol testing, DNA testing, and SCRAM continuous alcohol testing. You can view our Schedule of Accreditation here.
Dr Kingston, our laboratory Director, oversees our ISO 17025 accredited laboratory. For more than twelve years, Dr Kingston has been developing and implementing methods for detecting substances in hair, specifically for family law and child care proceedings. He was the first to create ISO 17025 accredited hair tests for many drugs of abuse and alcohol markers.
Over 17,000 solicitors and local authorities trust Lextox. We can be instructed within one 5-minute phone call and have samples collected within just 48 hours. If you have any questions or want to find out more, our team is on hand to assist you. Give us a call at 029 2048 4141 or email [email protected], and one of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Published 15/11/22 – All information correct at time of publication