Objectives general to linked Newborn and Antenatal Screening Programmes:

1. To ensure an appropriate level of understanding about screening and these conditions among professionals involved with the programme to allow the effective and sensitive delivery of the screening programme to the population in general.

2. To ensure that education and community awareness of the value of screening is provided to the wider population in an acceptable and accessible manner, is appropriate to the level and needs of the relevant community groups and aims to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with the conditions screened for.

3. To provide regular written feedback of the effectiveness and quality of the service to: -

• The population screened
• The providers of the service
• The commissioners of the service
• The range of bodies concerned with quality of health services as part of openness and transparency about service quality.

4. To evaluate the service on an ongoing basis to assist continuous quality improvement.

5. To make effective and efficient use of resources to the benefit of the population

6. To support and carry out research to inform the development of the programme

7. To make the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia programme a model programme worldwide and specifically in Europe.

Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme Standards - Antenatal, Newborn and Linked

An electronic version of the Antenatal, Newborn and Linked Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme Standards in pdf format is available to view or print from the link below:

Programme Standards