March 2016 | As last year, GameteExpert selects the best performers of Andrology and Embryology assessment.  All three frontrunners for andrology scheme come from United Kingdom, for embryology from United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The ranking results from inputs of 741 participants of 290 andrology labs and 255 participants of 90 embryology labs. 90% of participants come from Europe (70% United Kingdom), 6% from Asia, 3% from America and 1% from Africa.

All participants have joined the Reproductive Science Scheme of UK NEQAS. GameteExpert collects the input data of this scheme and delivers them to UK NEQAS for external quality assessment and performance reporting.

Independently from UK NEQAS, GameteExpert determines the performance of each participant by calculating the match with calculated consensus.

It must be emphasized that the ranking shown in this newsletter is in no relation to UK NEQAS and without input from them. Consequently, it gives no statement of performance in the UK NEQAS system.

The next distributions which will start in May, August and November 2016 and in February 2017 are open to new subscribers.

Here you can find the registration form, the embryologie flyer, the andrologie flyer and the participants' handbook.

For more information and registration, please contact repscience@ukneqas.org.uk.

Top Performers Andrology

The best performer of the andrology laboratories is Sarah Foley who is an individual license holder. She is an Embryologist working at CARE Fertility where she has been for 11 years in a team of 5 Embryologists and a Lab Assistant.

Sarah is involved in all aspects of embryology and is also a member of the CARE Andrology Focus Group which aims to promote best practice in andrology across all CARE clinics.

The lab has one basic and five individual licenses.

The graphic shows the results over last two years.

The blue curve indicates the performance of of Sarah Foley, the green and red curves the performance of all participants of UK NEQAS reproductive science scheme.

Above the green curve are the best 25% of all participants (top performers). Below the red curve are the worse 25% of the group (low performers).

CARE Fertility in Sheffield, United Kingdom is part of the CARE Fertility Group which is the UK's leading independent provider of assisted conception cycles. CARE Fertility was founded in 1997 and provides fertility services to both private and NHS patients. The CARE Fertility Group now has 7 main clinics and 8 other satellite clinics.

The second best performer of the andrology laboratories is the team of Jason Kasraie. Jason is a Consultant Clinical Embryologist & Andrologist (Clinical Scientist) and leads the Shropshire and Mid-Wales Fertility Centre. He has worked in the field for 21 years and is currently Chair Elect of the Association of Clinical Embryologists in the U.K. Catherine Reynolds co-ordinates the EQA and IQA for semen analysis.

Jason Kasraie's team consists of 11 scientists.The photograph shows some of them (from left to right: Annemieke Mitchell, Helene Cloete, Stacy Parry, Jason Kasraie, Victoria Gittins, Sharon Binnersley and Catherine Reynolds)

This lab has one basic licence.

The graphic shows the performance of the team over last two years.

The Shropshire and Mid-Wales Fertility Centre in Shrewsbury, United Kingdom is affiliated to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.  

It has been established since 1991 to offer specialist fertility care to patients from Shropshire, Mid-Wales and surrounding counties. The team of dedicated specialist staff has grown to over 25 doctors, Nurses, Scientists and administrative staff.

The Centre currently performs approximately 550 cycles of IVF/ICSI treatment. Since its inception it has been responsible for the birth of over 5000 children.

The third best performer of the andrology laboratories is the team of Shirley Moses, who is the technical lead for andrology services at the William Harvey Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital. Shirley is the Chief Biomedical Scientist in cytology and has been involved in developing andrology services in Kent since 1984.
 

The andrology team of biomedical scientists consists of Carol Hammond, Marianne Wiseman, Shirley Moses, Josephine Coglan and Dewcoomar Bissessur (left to right). This lab has one basic licence.

The graphic shows the performance of the lab over last two years.

The William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, county Kent, United Kingdom carries out the Andrology services.

Both hospitals are members of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust which is one of the largest hospital trusts in England serving a local population of around 759,000 people.


 

Top Performers Embryology

The best performer of the embryology laboratories is Sarah Armstrong who is an individual licence holder. She is Clinical Embryologist at the Fertility Exeter.

Sarah joined the fertility center in 2010, and completed the ACE Certificate in Clinical Embryology in 2012 and is currently applying for HCPC registration.

This lab has one basic licence and four individual licences.

The graphic shows the performance of Sarah Armstrong over last two years.

Fertility Exeter in Exeter, United Kingdom is part of Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and has been established for over 20 years.

The clinic provides NHS and private treatment for infertility including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intra-uterine insemination (IUI), donor insemination (DI), frozen embryo transfer (FET), and surgical sperm recovery (SSR).

The second best performer of the embryology laboratories is Maria-Ioanna Xenariou. She is a Clinical Embryologist and has been working at Homerton Fertility Centre for 3 years. Maria is an ICSI practitioner and working towards HCPC Registration.

This lab has one basic licence and nine individual licences.

The graphic shows the performance of Maria-Ioanna Xenariou over last two years.  

The Homerton Fertility Centre is part of Homerton University Hospital in London, United Kingdom provides a wide range of fertility treatments including IVF/ICSI/IMSI/IUI, and frozen embryo transfer.

      The third best performer of the embryology laboratories is David Jennings. David is  a Senior Clinical Embryologist and works within a team of Clinical Embryologists, Andrologists and Technicians.

The lab has one basic licence and 12 individual licences.

The graphic shows the performance of David Jennings over last two years.  

The Regional Fertility Centre (RFC), situated within the Royal Maternity Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is part of the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust.

The RFC offers a comprehensive fertility service including full investigation of male and female fertility problems. It is committed to providing an excellent service to all their patients in a supportive and caring environment.  NHS funded and private treatments are available.