An internal audit is a systematic and independent examination of a laboratory's activities to determine the degree of conformity with the audit criteria. The audit criteria are usually the requirements of ISO 17025 and the laboratory's own documented information. The internal audit process consists of several steps, such as planning, conducting, reporting, and following up. The internal audit report is the document that summarizes the findings and conclusions of the audit.
An internal audit report should include the following information:
The audit scope, objectives, criteria, and methodology
The audit team members and their roles and responsibilities
The audit schedule and duration
The audited areas, processes, or activities
The audit evidence collected and evaluated
The audit findings, such as nonconformities, observations, or opportunities for improvement
The audit conclusions and recommendations
The audit follow-up actions and verification
An internal audit report should be clear, concise, objective, factual, and constructive. It should provide sufficient details to support the audit findings and conclusions, but avoid unnecessary or irrelevant information. It should also use consistent terminology and format throughout the document.
To help laboratories prepare their internal audit reports, there are some templates and examples available online. For instance, Advisera offers an ISO 17025 document template for internal audit report that is optimized for small and medium-sized organizations. It is a one-page document that covers the main elements of an internal audit report. It is also an appendix to the main document, which is sold separately: Internal Audit Procedure.
Another example of an internal audit report is provided by APHL, which is a laboratory association that aims to strengthen public health laboratories in the US and globally. It is a four-page document that includes a cover page, an executive summary, an audit plan summary, and an audit findings summary. It also provides some guidance on how to complete each section of the report.
These are just some examples of internal audit reports that can be used as references or templates by laboratories that need to comply with ISO 17025. However, each laboratory should customize their own reports according to their specific needs and preferences. The most important thing is to ensure that the reports are accurate, complete, and useful for improving the laboratory's performance and quality.
References:
[Internal Audit Report [ISO 17025 templates]]
[How to perform ISO 17025 technical internal audit]
[Laboratory Internal Audit Plan]
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