terms of reference

last updated: 5th September 2025
  1. Introduction
    • 1.2. Background
      This group (“the Committee”) is composed of representatives from commercial toxicology testing laboratories in the healthcare, medico-legal, and workplace sectors.

      The primary driver for forming this Committee is to ensure standardised approaches to compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 and Lab51, and to collaborate on best practices within the industry. The Committee also aims to communicate a unified industry viewpoint to accrediting bodies (e.g., UKAS) where necessary.
  2. Purpose and Scope
    • Purpose:
      • Develop and publish best-practice guidance for commercial non-criminal drug and alcohol testing laboratories.
      • Foster consistent interpretations of ISO/IEC 17025 and Lab51 requirements within the industry.
      • Provide a collective voice to influence updates or clarifications to UKAS guidance (i.e., Lab51).
    • Scope:
      • Focus on topics causing ambiguity or inconsistency in the industry.
      • May include areas beyond ISO/IEC 17025 and Lab51, such as emerging testing methodologies and quality control, if they impact consistency or compliance in commercial laboratories.
      • Encourage open dialogue under Chatham House Rules to promote frank discussion without fear of commercial or reputational risk.
  3. Membership and Structure
    • 3.1. Composition
      • The Committee (“the Committee”) will consist of up to 12 individuals (two representatives per major company).
      • Companies currently represented include: Synlab, Randox, Abbott Toxicology, Eurofins, Matrix Diagnostics, and QuAI Health.
      • Not represented are NHS laboratories and their affiliates as these testing environments are out of scope of SACTL’s purpose.
    • 3.2. Contributors and Observers
      • The Committee may invite external individuals (“Contributors” or “Observers”) to provide technical insights or feedback on specific topics.
      • Contributors and Observers are not considered full Committee members; they do not gain voting rights or the ability to participate in formal decision-making (such as admission or removal of members).
      • Their involvement is limited to the topic(s) for which they were invited. Once their input is no longer required, their participation ends unless the Committee decides otherwise by a majority vote.
      • Contributors and Observers are expected to respect the Committee’s confidentiality policies (including Chatham House Rules) for the duration of their participation.
    • 3.3. Commitment to the Committee’s Purpose
      • In accepting or continuing membership, each individual representative agrees to act in the best interests of the Committee and the wider non-criminal drug and alcohol testing industry. While members will naturally bring their own expertise and organisational perspectives, they should balance these with the collective goal of advancing standardised, high-quality, and transparent practices.
    • 3.4. Admission and Removal of Members
      • New core members must represent an organisation with a vested interest in non-criminal drug and alcohol testing.
      • Prospective members require a majority vote of the existing Committee for approval.
      • Individuals must have the appropriate technical expertise and knowledge to effectively contribute.
      • Members may be removed by a majority vote of the Committee (excluding the individual(s) in question from the vote).
    • 3.5. Roles and Responsibilities
      • The Committee operates on an equal basis; there are no permanent leadership roles.
      • Specific tasks (e.g., convening meetings, managing communications, overseeing document drafting) are overseen by volunteers or assigned by majority decision.
    • 3.6. Changes in Employment or Organisational Affiliation
      • Seat Tied to the Organisation
        • Committee membership is granted to an individual as a representative of their employing organisation.
        • If a Committee member’s employment or affiliation changes such that they no longer represent the same organisation, their seat on the Committee automatically becomes vacant.
      • Nomination of a Replacement
        • Where the Committee seat is vacated due to the representative leaving their employer, the organisation holding that seat may nominate a new representative.
        • The nominee must meet the criteria for Committee membership (e.g., sufficient technical expertise) and be approved by a simple majority of current Committee members.
      • Transition Period
        • If appropriate and approved by the majority of the Committee, the departing member may remain in an observer or contributor capacity for a limited transition period (e.g., to finalise projects they have been closely involved with). This is at the discretion of the Committee.
        • In cases where the departing member’s new employment remains within a relevant sector (e.g., another non-criminal drug and alcohol testing organisation), they may separately request membership on behalf of their new employer. This request follows the standard new-member approval process.
  4. Meetings and Decision-Making
    • 4.1. Frequency and Format
      • Meetings are convened as required but held at least once per year.
      • Meetings are typically virtual. In-person meetings may be arranged if deemed necessary.
    • 4.2. Quorum
      • For decisions to be valid, they must be approved by the majority of the Committee.
    • 4.3. Decision-Making Process
      • Decisions are made by simple majority vote.
      • Major amendments to the Terms of Reference or the addition/removal of Committee members also require a simple majority.
    • 4.4. Record-Keeping
      • Formal minutes are not typically taken, in keeping with Chatham House Rules.
      • Summaries or action items may be noted informally as necessary, but no verbatim record is published.
  5. Guidance Development and Publication
    • 5.1. Outputs
      • The Committee’s primary output is best-practice guidance documents addressing areas of uncertainty or inconsistency in non-criminal drug and alcohol testing.
      • These documents are intended to be recognised as industry best practice and may be shared with UKAS and other relevant bodies for reference.
    • 5.2. Publication and Availability
      • Guidance documents will be freely available (e.g., via a dedicated website).
      • External stakeholders may provide feedback through direct contact or by annotated comments on draft documents.
    • 5.3. Peer Review
      • By its nature, the Committee comprises professionals with relevant technical expertise. Draft documents are therefore peer-reviewed internally before publication.
  6. Confidentiality and Chatham House Rules
    • 6.1. Confidentiality
      • The Committee operates under Chatham House Rules: members are free to use information from discussions, but neither the identity nor affiliation of the speakers may be revealed without explicit permission.
      • Intellectual property introduced or shared in the Committee remains the property of the original owner and should not be disclosed externally without permission.
    • 6.2. Conflict of Interest
      • A conflict of interest may arise where personal, professional, or organisational interests could compromise (or appear to compromise) a member’s objectivity or the Committee’s integrity. This includes situations where a member’s employer or affiliated organisation stands to gain commercially or otherwise from decisions, recommendations, or guidance produced by the Committee.
      • Committee members must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest—whether personal or stemming from their organisation—at the earliest opportunity.
      • If a member believes disclosing details of a contract or relationship would breach confidentiality, they should, at a minimum, inform the Committee that a potential conflict exists—without divulging commercially sensitive information.
      • Examples include, but are not limited to:
        • Financial stakes (e.g., products, services, or proprietary processes) that might be endorsed or recommended by the Committee.
        • Existing or potential business contracts between a member’s organisation and external parties that relate to Committee activities.
    • Management of Conflicts
      • The Committee will address disclosed conflicts in a fair and transparent manner to maintain the integrity of discussions and outputs.
      • Members (and the organisations they represent) with a disclosed conflict may be asked to:
        • Temporarily recuse themselves from relevant discussions,
        • Abstain from voting on matters directly linked to the conflict, or
        • Provide additional information or context to help the Committee make an informed decision.
    • Documentation
      • The disclosure and any subsequent action taken will be recorded (informally, if necessary, in line with the Committee’s Chatham House Rules approach) to ensure transparency within the group.
    • Consequences of Undisclosed Conflicts
      • If a conflict is found to have been undisclosed or misrepresented, the Committee may review the individual’s or organisation’s membership status, subject to a majority vote.
  7. External Relations
    • The Committee may engage with UKAS (or other regulatory and accrediting bodies) to advocate for or propose revisions to guidance documents (e.g., Lab51).
    • A public-facing website will host Committee documents and contact information, allowing broader engagement from interested parties.
  8. Review and Amendments
    • The Terms of Reference are reviewed and updated on an as-needed basis.
    • Any member of the Committee may propose amendments.
    • Amendments require a simple majority vote to pass (with a quorum present).
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