Guidance

How records are mapped to NBSFS sites

Updated 8 March 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/newborn-blood-spot-screening-failsafe-solution-user-guide/how-records-are-mapped-to-the-nbsfs-sites

Newborn blood spot screening failsafe solution (NBSFS) records are mapped by the baby’s home address (GP code or postcode).

If the GP code or postcode cannot be used, the record is mapped to the hospital of birth organisation code (Org code).

If the Org code cannot be used, the record is mapped to the child health unit based on the Registering Authority (RA) code.

If the RA code cannot be used, the record moves to the ‘unmapped site’ and a manual process is undertaken by the system provider to place the record.

This can be summarised as below:

  1. Home address: GP code or postcode
  2. Hospital of birth: Org code
  3. Associated child health unit: RA code
  4. Manual process: ‘unmapped site’

Details of each stage

1. Home address

NBSFS baby records are mapped to the site of the mother’s home address as this is most likely to be the site responsible for screening the baby.

This is based on the mother’s GP code or postcode provided in the data given when the NHS number is generated, usually by the labour ward midwife.

Usually, only the first part of the postcode is used (for example, PR4).

If the first part of the postcode is shared between more than one maternity site this can result in records being wrongly mapped.

A request can be made via the NBSFS helpdesk and the postcode can be mapped by adding additional digits of the postcode, for example, PR4 4, PR4 4R, or even the full postcode PR4 4RT.

The decision to map by GP code or postcode is based on the premise that the vast majority of mother and babies will be back at their usual residence on day 5 of age. The coverage (GP code or postcode) was decided by the local maternity service when NBSFS was implemented and is based on how the maternity service is organised in that area.

The list of GP codes or postcodes was provided by the local maternity service when NBSFS was implemented and has sometimes been updated by them since.

2. Hospital of birth

If the postcode is shared between more than one NBSFS site, the record will be mapped to the NBSFS site associated with the hospital of birth.

This is based on the Org code provided in the data given when the NHS number is generated, usually by the labour ward midwife.

The Org code will also be used if the GP code or postcode cannot be recognised in the NBSFS system, for example, if:

  • an error has been made in the mother’s record
  • the GP has a new code
  • the mother has a GP whose code is not registered on NBSFS (for example, because they are a private GP)

In many cases, the org code will successfully map the record to the maternity site responsible for the baby’s blood spot screening, as the hospital of birth and the hospital responsible for postnatal care are often the same.

If not, the NBSFS user should transfer the record to the correct NBSFS site if the record flags on the NBSFS tracking page.

3. Child Health Department

If the GP code or postcode and the Org code cannot be used for mapping the record, it will be mapped to the NBSFS maternity site related to the child health unit based on the RA code linked to the baby’s record.

The Org code only appears in NBSFS for births which are recorded as an NHS hospital birth.

Other births, such as those recorded as home births, private births and those occurring on the way to hospital, do not have an Org code in the NBSFS data for technical reasons currently beyond the control of the programme.

This means that home births and private births where the postcode/GP code cannot be used for mapping (for example, because it is a shared postcode or private GP) will be mapped to the maternity site associated with the RA code.

If this is not the maternity site responsible for the baby’s blood spot screening, the NBSFS user will need to transfer the record to the correct NBSFS maternity site if the record flags up on the tracking page.

Please note that maternity site users are responsible for the management of records on NBSFS.

4. Unmapped site

If the GP code or postcode, Org code and RA code cannot be used to map the record in NBSFS, the record is placed in the ‘unmapped site’.

This site is monitored by the system provider and the record will be manually transferred to the most appropriate NBSFS maternity site, based on the data available in the record.

The NBSFS maternity site must accept or reject the transfer as appropriate.

There is an escalation process to the NBSFS Programme team if an unmapped record cannot be placed.

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