NABL, NABH or ISO certification: which one do you need?

Accreditation and certification are not the same thing

Accreditation is a formal recognition that an organisation is technically competent to carry out specific work. An accreditation body assesses you against a standard and, if you meet it, accredits you for a defined scope. Certification confirms that your management system meets the requirements of a standard such as ISO 9001. A certification body audits you and issues the certificate.

NABL: for laboratories

NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredits laboratories. The standard depends on what your laboratory does:

• ISO 15189 for medical and clinical laboratories
• ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and calibration laboratories
• ISO/IEC 17043 for proficiency testing providers
• ISO 17034 for reference material producers

If you run a laboratory of any kind and customers, regulators or tenders ask for NABL accreditation, this is the route.

NABH: for hospitals and healthcare organisations

NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) accredits hospitals and other healthcare organisations against standards that cover patient safety, clinical care, infection control and quality improvement. There are different programmes depending on the size and type of the facility, including entry-level routes for smaller facilities and full accreditation for established hospitals.

ISO certification: for any organisation

ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety) are management system standards. They apply to almost any organisation, in any sector. An independent certification body audits your management system and issues the certificate. They are often required for tenders and customer contracts.

A quick way to decide

• You run a laboratory and need proof your results are reliable: NABL.
• You run a hospital or nursing home and want to demonstrate patient safety and quality of care: NABH.
• You are a business that needs a recognised quality, environment or safety system: ISO 9001, 14001 or 45001.
• You are a laboratory that also wants a management system certificate: these are not mutually exclusive, but NABL is usually the one that matters for the laboratory’s technical work.

Who awards what?

Consultants do not award any of these. NABL and NABH award their accreditations after their own assessments, and ISO certificates are issued by certification bodies. A consultant’s job is to prepare you properly and support you through the assessment.

Still not sure which applies to you? That is exactly what our free 60-minute consultation is for.