New Zealand Blood Service provides NIQAP for use by blood transfusion laboratories throughout New Zealand. The annual programme initially consists of three exercises (or surveys) each with a specific testing or technical focus. Each exercise aims to challenge participants by providing specimens and clinical scenarios which mimic typical blood transfusion requests or processes as faced by the average laboratory during routine pre-transfusion testing. In this way laboratories can assess their performance (and that of individual staff members) not only against the expected results but also other laboratories throughout the country. Each exercise will usually highlight a technical issue faced by blood transfusion laboratories, which will then be explored through the expert commentary provided with the post exercise report. In this way it is hoped to stimulate awareness of, and debate around, the performance and practice of pre-transfusion testing across New Zealand and internationally.