Guidance

Newborn and infant physical examination screening programme supporting information from 1 April 2024

Updated 10 October 2024

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/newborn-and-infant-physical-examination-screening-standards/newborn-and-infant-physical-examination-screening-programme-supporting-information-from-1-april-2024

1. Introduction

These revised screening standards for the NHS Newborn and infant physical examination screening programme (NIPE) replace previous versions. They apply to data collected from 1 April 2024. This is a summary of the changes from previous version of the standards which were published in 2021.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommends that all eligible babies are offered the NIPE screen. The screen should be undertaken within 72 hours of birth and then again at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

NHS NIPE screening programme has responsibility for implementing this policy. The service specification (No. 21) for NHS providers is available as part of the public health functions exercised by NHS England. The universal offer of screening helps the early detection of congenital defects of the heart, hips, eyes and testes. Any abnormalities detected or any clinical concerns identified will lead to a prompt referral for early clinical assessment by the relevant clinical expert.

The 4 components of NIPE are:

  1. Eyes: about 2 or 3 in 10,000 babies have problems with their eyes that require treatment.
  2. Heart: around 1 in 200 babies may have a heart problem.
  3. Hips: about 1 or 2 in 1,000 babies have hip problems that require treatment.
  4. Testes: about 1 in 100 baby boys have problems with their testes that require treatment.

We aim to ensure there is equal access to uniform and quality assured screening across England and that families are provided with high-quality information so they can make an informed choice about newborn and infant physical examination screening.

Screening guidance documents on GOV.UK may link to a central glossary of terms, ‘NHS population screening explained’ and NHS UK for definition of terms. To see the meaning of an acronym, hover over it with your cursor for the full definition.

2. Summary of changes from previous version of standards

2.1 NIPE-S03: 2.1 NIPE-S03: NIPE-S03: diagnosis/intervention – timeliness of ultrasound scan of the hips for developmental dysplasia

This standard has been stood down from a performance measure (KPI) from 1 April 2024 but will remain a measured standard with an outcome focus.

2.2 NIPE-S04: diagnosis/intervention: timeliness of hip clinical assessment or discharge

This standard has been introduced as a performance outcome measure (KPI) from 1 April 2024.

New acceptable and achievable thresholds have been agreed of acceptable level greater than or equal to 90.0% and achievable level of greater than or equal to 95.0%

2.3 NIPE-S05: diagnosis/intervention – timeliness of intervention for babies with screen positive testes results requiring urgent review

The title of this standard has been changed and the descriptions of the screen positive criteria have changed.

3. Pathway themes

NHS NIPE screening standards look at 2 themes to assess the pathway and 2 KPIs are derived from standards NIPE-S01 and NIPE-S04.

3.1 Theme: coverage

Related standard is:

NIPE-S01: coverage

3.2 Theme: diagnosis/intervention

Related standards are:

NIPE-S02: diagnosis/intervention: timeliness of intervention for abnormality of the eye

NIPE-S03: diagnosis/intervention: timeliness of intervention for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)

NIPE-S04: diagnosis/intervention: timeliness of intervention for DDH risk factors

NIPE-S05: diagnosis/intervention: timeliness of intervention for babies with screen positive testes results requiring urgent review

4. Resources to support providers and commissioners

Additional NIPE operational guidance is included in the:

5. Reporting and publishing standards

We publish annual standards and quarterly KPI data. We share the data with NHS England before publication.

Services can also access the quarterly KPI submission templates.

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