bmta.co.uk
Feedback and Considerations for the Future
Inevitably, introducing any programme much
sooner than originally anticipated proved
challenging for both Customers and UKAS, but
on the whole the experience has been a very
positive one. By working closely with accredited
organisations and taking their feedback on board,
UKAS has been ironing out any creases, and
introducing ongoing refinements to improve the
effectiveness and experience of remote
assessments for all.
We have been grateful to the support and
pragmatism of our customers as we’ve moved to
remote assessment and the vast majority have
appreciated the new approach with UKAS seeing
its highest ever levels of customers satisfaction
during COVID-19 Pandemic.
Whilst remote assessment remains UKAS’s
primary approach during the COVID-19
pandemic, the use of on-site assessments is
possible but only in situations where a remote
assessment is not possible or significantly
inefficient. When restrictions are further lifted then
more on-site assessment will be possible.
What has become clear over recent months is that remote assessment is, in many cases, an effective tool for UKAS to
use to confirm the ongoing competence and compliance of our customers. That said there is a place for on-site
assessment which in certain circumstances is the most effective and efficient approach. Looking ahead is seems unlikely
that UKAS will be conducting full assessments on-site for some time. As such, a ‘Blended Assessment’ (a mix of on-site
and remote assessment) will become the ‘new normal’ for UKAS assessments in the future not just as we come out of
this pandemic but also beyond.
With a ‘blended assessment’ approach comes the need to work out how best to mix the remote and on-site assessment
activity to provide an assessment that is fit for purpose for the AB and the customer. UKAS is planning to achieve this
through the use of a risk evaluation of our customers, with those customers who present a higher risk to UKAS seeing
more frequent use of on-site assessment and those presenting a lower risk seeing a greater use of remote assessment.
This move to remote assessment will be welcomed by many. Not just for the flexibility it brings but also for other benefits
such as reducing environmental impact and supporting work life balance for assessors. However, it is not the
fundamental shift in assessment approach that it can initially seem to be. Whilst effective remote assessments are
enabled by technological developments such as web-conferencing and file-sharing, the approach to the assessment
remains the same as before. ABs are still using technical experts, to review and evaluate organisations against
standards, and then use their professional judgement to draw conclusions about the competence and compliance of that
organisation.
More significant changes are on the horizon for ABs, where the use and availability of data from their customers,
supported by technologies such as BlockChain, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence has the potential to
fundamentally change the assessment approach. It is vital that UKAS and all ABs are preparing themselves for this
change such that they can continue to provide confidence to the customers of their customers into the future.