Laboratory

This model was last updated on 15/03/2020, this is version 0.1

Draft

Model created

10/03/2020

Description

In the UK, official feed and food laboratories are Public and Agricultural Analyst and Microbiology laboratories (Food Examiners) that undertake work for Local Authorities or undertaking Official Controls in specified areas for the Food Standards Agency (FSA), and Local Authorities.

Official laboratories must employ staff who possess qualifications which are defined by national legislation. In addition, laboratories must have a Public / Agricultural Analyst (formally appointed by a Local Authority) or a qualified Food Examiner in order to be designated as an Official Control Laboratory.

In data modelling terms, a Laboratory is a child of the Service Delivery Organisation entity. It differs from an SDO by virtue of narrower of scope (it only handles interventions rather than activities and enforcements) and some additional contextual properties which are described below.

Synonyms

What it is not

A Laboratory is not a Competent Authority, and does not own or administer schemes in the way the one would (in terms of the FSA’s data domain).

Neither is it an establishment, even though it has an operator and a premises.

Properties, identifiers and reference data

Key Properties

Laboratories tend to not have key properties outside of their name, as the main purpose is to be able to dereference and confirm the existence of the laboratory.

Contextual Properties

Laboratories are often accredited to carry out test within specific subdomains, and these accreditations should be recorded.

Likewise, they can be accredited to complete tests using certain specific methods.

Unique Identifiers

FSA approved laboratories have an associated URI in their register.

External sources and further reading

A list of FSA Approved Laboratories

A list of Laboratory Analyst Types