Newborn hearing screening programme (NHSP) operational guidance

Update focusing on improving clarity, compliance, and safeguarding, while reinforcing national standards and quality assurance. Improved guidance clarity in response to frequently asked questions including detailed guidance on AOAE and AABR testing, limits on repeat attempts, and when outpatient appointments should be offered. Updated links. Removal of content which is duplicated elsewhere. New guidance on managing records for adopted babies.

Added clarification that publication was previously published by Public Health England.

Chapter 9 – Audiology has been updated to reflect changes following the programmes move to NHSE, including other minor additions to the guide for local services. Appendix: NHSP Local service management tasks guidance updated to reflect changes following the programmes move to NHSE, including other minor additions to the guide for local service.

Updated chapter 2 and the NHSP external competency assessment (ECA) registration and evidence checklist appendix, to reflect minor changes, including new email contact and the programmes move to NHSE.

Updated link added for the IT system customer portal in chapter 8 (National IT system).

Updated chapter 2. The separate ECA guidance appendix has been removed and information about the assessment is now described in chapter 2.

Edited chapter 9.

Updated the external competency assessment (ECA) registration and evidence checklist.

Converted attachments to accessible format.

Updated chapter 5 (equipment) to include guidance on testing arrangements for new equipment listed on the NHS Supply Chain.

Added requirement to complete an additional e-learning resource to ECA registration and evidence checklist.

Updated chapter 2 to show that the population screening e-learning module is now mandated for new screeners.

Updated the NHSP ECA registration and evidence checklist.

Updated Education and training chapter, added new appendices: 'External Competency Assessment (ECA) guidelines' and 'ECA registration and evidence checklist' and added change in timescales for new screeners to be registered with a health screener diploma (HSD) approved centre.

Updated 'Appendix: risk factor questionnaire'.

Added contact details for Belmont Medical Technologies.

Removed reference to using NHS Trends data in 'Appendix: local programme management tasks' as not currently available.

Updated 'Chapter 6: Patient journey from screen to referral'.

Updated 'Data and Reports' to include all reports, the new naming convention and movement of provider specific guidance to the national IT system resource.

Updated Chapter 9 on audiology to change the reporting age of later identified hearing loss from 16 to 5 years old.

Removed contacts database guide appendix which will now be hosted on the IT system resources.

Changes to Chapter 8 – national IT system, including S4H and the customer portal, plus clarification around birth registrations and newborn screening SMaRT IT systems. Updated version of Appendix: Interactions between English and Welsh hearing screening programmes.

Clarification of the 3 scenarios for babies moving from well baby to NICU baby protocol.

Updated information sheet for parents to reflect new General Data Protection Regulation.

Minor change to chapter 6 'patient journey from screen to referral' and section 8.3 NICU protocol. Added missing hyperlinks to chapter 2 'education and training'.

Clarified the importance of the screener diploma in chapter 2.

Made minor changes to chapter 6 ‘Patient journey from screen to referral’ section 8 (screening test) for clarity. Added guidance from the NHSP pages of https://cpdscreening.phe.org.uk to chapter 2 ‘Education and training’ and chapter 3 ‘Roles and responsibilities’.

Updated chapters 2 , 3 and 6.

Updated chapter 2: guidance for newborn hearing screeners competency assessments and the diploma for health screeners qualification. Reviewed chapter 5: added specific information for screening equipment and more detail on completing quality assurance (QA) checks prior to use. Added 'Appendix: equipment log sheet'. Updated 'Appendix: local programme management tasks: QA checks moved from monthly to weekly.

Updated Chapter 3 with the content from the appendix called 'risk-unfilled local manager post'. The appendix has therefore also been removed.

Updated guidance on screening equipment, chapter 5.

Updated the family history diagram in the appendix.

First published.