2017 annual call topic proposals
Published 20 May 2024
© Crown copyright 2024
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-previous-annual-call-submissions/2017-annual-call-topic-proposals
The UK NSC received 4 proposals:
1. Keratoconus in children and young adults with Down’s syndrome
UK NSC decision: submission declined
The evaluation group agreed that this proposal falls outside the UK NSC’s remit of whole population screening programmes. Therefore the proposal was sent to the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group and NICE to consider.
2. Increased risk of stroke in children with sickle cell disease
UK NSC decision: submission declined
The evaluation group agreed that the proposal to diagnose children with sickle cell disease (SCD) who are at a higher risk of stroke and to offer early intervention was outside the remit of the UK NSC but was part of the care pathway for children diagnosed with SCD. Although no further action was required by the UK NSC it was agreed that the issue would be escalated to NHS England and NICE.
3. Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) in newborns
UK NSC decision: evidence summary commissioned
ANSD represents a range of possible disorders and prognoses due to a problem with the hearing nerve and is defined by a pattern of test results.
The evaluation group agreed to review the proposal for ANSD to be added to the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) as a programme modification.
The evidence summary concluded that ANSD should not be added to the NHSP. This was because:
- there was uncertainty as to the number of babies with the condition who are missed using the current screening strategy and who would benefit from the addition of ANSD to the programme
- only one small study looked at the test in the newborn general population and conclusions on the accuracy of the test could not be made
- there was no published information on the practicalities of implementing the test in the newborn general population
4. Endometrial cancer
UK NSC decision: scoping exercise commissioned
This submission was handled as a new topic as the UK NSC had not looked at the evidence to screen for endometrial cancer before. A scoping exercise was undertaken which revealed that screening is not recommended. It was therefore agreed that this would not to be added to the UK NSC list of conditions to screen for.