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Hi All, (WARNING - It's Just taken me 20 minutes to work out how to post a new message, so that's the level of intuitiveness you are dealing with!!)
Here in the UK our Police forces are being faced with having to get their Forensic Lab functions accredited to ISO 17025 By Nov 2013 (DNA Swabbing) and Nov 2015 (Fingerprint Enhancement Labs). Much of this was previously done by outside agencies such as the Forensic Science Service which has now gone, and these were accredited to the standard - now that the separate Police areas are taking it on, the Forensic Science Regulator has deemed it mandatory to achieve accreditation by these dates, or else!
I think this is a very good thing. Because of the financial problems affecting all Police, they are being asked to save large amounts of money over the next few years, and this has resulted in neighbouring forces combining services. I am currently a Senior Fingerprint Expert employed by one such, and my job is going at the end of June as a result. I have, however, secured the newly created role of Quality Manager to ensure the smooth (!!?) transition to ISO 17025 accreditation for the combined Lab & DNA functions.
After 23 years in the narrow field of Fingerprints I am struggling to get my head around where to start in July - I get that the technical manager will be drawing up the SOPs and ensuring training and competency of staff, and that I will have to formulate a Quality Statement initially - my worry is how to even start the QMS itself. Just looking at all the spreadsheets, schedules and folders of paperwork for what is in place for our ISO 9001 certification sends my head spinning. There is much good advice saying you will need to set up this, that & the other, but even these guides are daunting to a newbie. Are software options worth looking into for help with automatic reminders, scheduling of audits etc.
I guess i am just wondering if my mindset is up to the plate juggling needs of this new role - you all have my genuine admiration if you are keeping all the balls in the air. Does anyone remember similar experiences, or been through a similar career change?
All encouragement and direction greatly received......
Here in the UK our Police forces are being faced with having to get their Forensic Lab functions accredited to ISO 17025 By Nov 2013 (DNA Swabbing) and Nov 2015 (Fingerprint Enhancement Labs). Much of this was previously done by outside agencies such as the Forensic Science Service which has now gone, and these were accredited to the standard - now that the separate Police areas are taking it on, the Forensic Science Regulator has deemed it mandatory to achieve accreditation by these dates, or else!
I think this is a very good thing. Because of the financial problems affecting all Police, they are being asked to save large amounts of money over the next few years, and this has resulted in neighbouring forces combining services. I am currently a Senior Fingerprint Expert employed by one such, and my job is going at the end of June as a result. I have, however, secured the newly created role of Quality Manager to ensure the smooth (!!?) transition to ISO 17025 accreditation for the combined Lab & DNA functions.
After 23 years in the narrow field of Fingerprints I am struggling to get my head around where to start in July - I get that the technical manager will be drawing up the SOPs and ensuring training and competency of staff, and that I will have to formulate a Quality Statement initially - my worry is how to even start the QMS itself. Just looking at all the spreadsheets, schedules and folders of paperwork for what is in place for our ISO 9001 certification sends my head spinning. There is much good advice saying you will need to set up this, that & the other, but even these guides are daunting to a newbie. Are software options worth looking into for help with automatic reminders, scheduling of audits etc.
I guess i am just wondering if my mindset is up to the plate juggling needs of this new role - you all have my genuine admiration if you are keeping all the balls in the air. Does anyone remember similar experiences, or been through a similar career change?
All encouragement and direction greatly received......

