Public Health England is responsible for the NHS Screening Programmes

Quality Assurance (London)

Newborn Screening Updates

30.10.15

Angela Dietrich, Senior QA Advisor

Newborn Blood Spot Sampling

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Guidelines currently being updated. Should be available end of Nov 2015.

They will: -

include information on all of the nine conditions currently screened for

provide clarity on the type of transfusions that affect bloodspot samples

contain useful scenarios that can be used for training purposes

have more information on why bloodspot quality matters (see example below)

Compressed sample

(can be identified through staining of the glassine

envelope)

Significant risk of

false-negative result

Newborn Blood Spot Sampling

• Residual blood spot consultation – November 2015 to January 2016

• Residual blood spots are currently used for:

• molecular genetic diagnosis

• prenatal diagnosis for at risk relatives

• diagnosis of congenital infection

• research

• Consultation is to review the retention, storage, use and release of residual

blood spots and related information

• Expanded NBS screening review – will be completed Jan 2016

• Review of NBS card - 2016

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NBSFS – Exception Reports

Trusts should be receiving NBSFS reports weekly*

Regional teams now receive regular exception reports which include:

• a summary of those units with babies outstanding on their systems for more

than 17 days

• information on how often the failsafe is accessed**

We do not receive details of NHS numbers or any other PID***

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Newborn & Infant Physical Examination

Standards being revised - will be published with the NIPE Programme Handbook

in 2016. Proposed new standards: -

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NIPE Standard (cont.)

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Newborn & Infant Physical Examination

NIPE SMART

Implementation status for London – six London Trusts currently not participating*

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NIPE SMART IMPLEMENTATION

Some of the reasons given for not implementing NIPE SMART include: -

» screening team keen, neonatologist/NNU resistant

» not wanting to implement parallel systems which may require double (or

triple) entry

» already recording the data

It should be noted however that local systems will not meet the national service

specifications which require a robust national failsafe process.

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Pulse Oximetry

Pilots commenced February 2015

15 Trusts participating

Testing the impact of introducing Pulse

Oximetry – aim is to review the

feasible of its inclusion in the Newborn

& Infant Physical Examination

If rolled out nationally, pulse oximetry

fields will be added to NIPE SMART

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Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP)

Programme standards under review

Operational handbook being developed

Site / Border Changes

Some Trusts are experiencing changes in how newborn hearing screening is

organised locally e.g. changes from community model to hospital model,

changes in service provider

Largely influenced by funding / commissioning

Presents a significant risk to this screening programme

Ensure concerns/issues related to these changes are discussed

formally at TSSGs and risks escalated appropriately

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Changes to local Hearing Screening Programmes

When changes are made/proposed QA and NHS England will

require assurance that: -

local pathways have been reviewed and risk assessed

where border changes have occurred, responsibility for screening is

clear

planning includes the correct re- structuring of the NHSP IT system

(e-Screener Plus or eSP) so that babies are not missed or screening

delayed

new hearing screening staff/providers of the service have

appropriate links with local internal governance structures

local hearing screening guidelines are updated to reflect changes

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