Explore quality assurance and auditing practices in clinical microbiology through this comprehensive lecture. Gain insights into ISO 15189:2012 standards, assessment criteria, and their impact on patient care. Discover the differences between quality assurance and quality control, and learn about validation, verification, and post-intervention processes. Examine real-life examples of internal quality assurance (IQA), internal quality control (IQC), and external quality assessment (EQA) in microbiology laboratories. Understand the importance of quality management systems, non-accredited tests, and UKAS assessments. Delve into vertical audits, ordered findings, and supplementary audits. Learn about everyday quality practices, monitoring trends, and monthly quality reports, with a focus on blood cultures. Acquire valuable knowledge to enhance quality assurance processes in clinical microbiology settings.