Guidance

Criteria for a targeted screening programme

Updated 29 September 2022

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-review-criteria-national-screening-programmes/criteria-for-a-targeted-screening-programme

The following are the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) criteria for appraising the viability, effectiveness and appropriateness of a targeted screening programme.

    1. The health impact of the condition and its course should be understood, with evidence that serious disease can be identified or predicted by an agreed level of identifiable risk or marker.
    2. There should be evidence from appropriately designed studies and models on cost effectiveness for the:

  • screening test – this should be a simple test that has evidence of suitable accuracy and technical performance derived from studies in the population in which the test is being used

  • intervention – there should be better outcomes from early intervention/those at a pre-symptomatic stage, for the screened individual, compared with usual care

    3. There should be a diagnostic investigation available for individuals with a positive test screening result, with evidence that subsequent tests can distinguish those who would benefit from interventions from those who would not.
    4. The overall benefits from the screening programme should outweigh the harms, for example, from overdiagnosis, overtreatment, false positives, false reassurance and uncertain findings.
    5. There should be a robust and inclusive evidence-based selection criteria for identifying those eligible for targeted screening.
    6. There should be evidence that the screening programme is acceptable to the public and health professionals, with appropriately balanced information available to those invited to attend screening.
    7. The UK NSC should carry out a feasibility assessment (informed by NHS practice) that indicates the screening programme would be achievable; with evidence for monitoring and quality assuring the programme, adequate staffing and facilities being available to meet the requirements of programme delivery.
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