Newborn bloodspot screening

Produced for:

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)

What is newborn bloodspot screening?

Newborn blood spot screening (NBS), often called the "heel prick test," is a vital public health program offered to every baby shortly after birth. Its purpose is to screen for a number of rare but serious health conditions that are not immediately obvious at birth, enabling timely management and treatment.

Why do we need it?

The importance of the test lies in the fact that early diagnosis and immediate treatment can prevent severe disability, serious illness, or even death. But deciding which conditions to screen for is tough because the conditions are rare and the screening process itself is highly complex. This makes it difficult when deciding upon the policy surrounding NBS, which is why the list of tested conditions is different around the world.

SENSS Team:

Chief Investigator: Jim Chilcott

Investigators: Alice Bessey, James R. Bonham, Iván Castilla-Rodriguez, Sarah Davis, David Elliman, Sara Hunt, Chris Hyde, Silvia Lombardo, Jason Madan, John Marshall, Joan Morris, Katherine Payne, Oliver Rivero-Arias, Bethany Shinkins, Graham Shortland, Susan Spillane, Anthea Sutton, Sian Taylor-Phillips, Cristina Visintin

Links:

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijns11040096