The NHSP operational guidance provides clinical guidance and other documents to support the delivery of a high-quality screening programme.
This guidance is relevant to all screening programme staff and healthcare professionals involved at any point in the NHSP screening pathway.
This information puts into context the day-to-day working of the local screening programme and includes information about:
introductions and key contacts
roles, responsibilities and relationships of key NHSP staff and associated professionals
initial training and continued professional development including competencies for hearing screening staff
governance and performance responsibilities including programme standards, key performance indicators, and managing risks and incidents
aetiology input to NHSP and beyond
hearing screening equipment specifications and protocols
audiology input to NHSP and beyond
day to day management of a local NHSP patient pathway
the NHSP national IT system
reporting local programme performance
Contact the screening helpdesk with any queries about this publication, making sure you include its full title.
Published 1 November 2016 Last updated 29 May 2024 +show all updates
Chapter 9 Audiology has been updated to reflect changes following the programmes move to NHSE, including other minor additions to the guide for local services.Appendix: NHSP Local service management tasks guidance updated to reflect changes following the programmes move to NHSE, including other minor additions to the guide for local service.
Updated chapter 2 and the NHSP external competency assessment (ECA) registration and evidence checklist appendix, to reflect minor changes, including new email contact and the programmes move to NHSE.
Updated link added for the IT system customer portal in chapter 8 (National IT system).
Updated chapter 2. The separate ECA guidance appendix has been removed and information about the assessment is now described in chapter 2.
Edited chapter 9.
Updated the external competency assessment (ECA) registration and evidence checklist.
Converted attachments to accessible format.
Updated chapter 5 (equipment) to include guidance on testing arrangements for new equipment listed on the NHS Supply Chain.
Added requirement to complete an additional e-learning resource to ECA registration and evidence checklist.
Updated chapter 2 to show that the population screening e-learning module is now mandated for new screeners.
Updated the NHSP ECA registration and evidence checklist.
Updated Education and training chapter, added new appendices: 'External Competency Assessment (ECA) guidelines' and 'ECA registration and evidence checklist' and added change in timescales for new screeners to be registered with a health screener diploma (HSD) approved centre.
Updated 'Appendix: risk factor questionnaire'.
Added contact details for Belmont Medical Technologies.
Removed reference to using NHS Trends data in 'Appendix: local programme management tasks' as not currently available.
Updated 'Chapter 6: Patient journey from screen to referral'.
Updated 'Data and Reports' to include all reports, the new naming convention and movement of provider specific guidance to the national IT system resource.
Updated Chapter 9 on audiology to change the reporting age of later identified hearing loss from 16 to 5 years old.
