Assessment Procedure

Assessment Procedure

All participants receive a delivery letter outlining requirements for assessment material 

(Specialist Technique or Neuropathology Schemes will also receive 4 unstained slides)


Upon receipt, submitted material is booked into the External Quality Assurance Management System by UK NEQAS CPT staff, using the information provided by participants on the delivery letter.

During the assessment sessions, our expert assessors work in pairs to assess the participants' submitted material.


All of UK NEQAS CPT's Assessment Criteria have been developed through a Task Group formed by the UK NEQAS Steering Committee. 


Our assessors are provided with full training in how to assess participants' submitted material and they undergo rigorous competency assessment at each assessment session to ensure that all submissions are scored in a consistent manner.

Staining Criteria Handbooks

Please find definitions for each of the assessment criteria in our module specific staining criteria handbooks. This will provide participants with a better understanding of their scores.

Staining Criteria Handbook available in Members' Area
Scoring Guidelines 

Individual Assessor (out of 5):

0 – Non Submission

1 – Fail 
No staining demonstrated based on the method employed and the expected staining results

2 – Borderline Fail 
Unsatisfactory demonstration based on the method employed, with expected staining results being inappropriate

3 – Pass 
Appropriate demonstration based on the method employed and the expected staining results, although improvements need to be made in the staining.

4 – Good 
Good appropriate demonstration based on the method employed and the expected staining results

5 – Excellent 
Excellent demonstration based on the method employed and the expected staining results



Total Score (out of 10):

Score <5 
A score of less than 5 / 10 is given for poor staining, where the participant has failed to clearly demonstrate the expected results.

Score 5/6 
A score of 5 or 6 / 10 is a pass. Whilst the staining appropriately demonstrates the expected staining results, staining is suboptimal and improvements are still required overall.

Score 7/8 
A score of 7 or 8 / 10 shows good appropriate demonstration of the expected results, and an acceptable level of quality.

Score 9/10 
A score of 9 or 10 / 10 shows excellent appropriate demonstration of the expected results, and a high level of quality.

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