“Health Authorities, with other relevant agencies, to prepare for the co-ordination, extension and quality improvement of Children’s Health and Antenatal Screening Programmes by putting in place an infrastructure for delivering change effectively. Detailed advice about changes to screening programmes for hearing, vision, haemoglobinopathies and Down’s syndrome, in the first instance, will follow.”

“The NHS Plan- Health Inequalities Targets”

The aim of this conference is to inform all stakeholders of the changes, present and proposed, to antenatal and newborn screening services to share good practices and innovations from around the region.

The National Screening Committee (NSC) and National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) are formulating evidence-based guidelines with the objective being a national coordinated approach to Antenatal and Newborn Screening Services.

In the West Midlands, the Perinatal Screening Team has commenced a programme of review of existing service provision and restructuring of systems to deliver the new agenda.

A network of local co-ordinators has been established to provide support and information for pregnant women and their partners about screening during pregnancy, ensuring expectant parents can make informed choices about which tests to have.

Following the success of the antenatal project, the NSC created regional posts in 2004/5 to strengthen the regional teams to include Newborn and Child Health Co-ordination. The Child Health Coordinators liaise with all stakeholders including laboratories, health visitors, audiology screeners and primary care, linking with antenatal programmes as appropriate.

The conference is open to all healthcare professionals but is particularly relevant to medical, midwifery, health visiting, laboratory and radiology staff associated with screening. It is also pertinent to those in primary care organisations, including clinical governance and public health departments and those responsible for commissioning and monitoring of antenatal and newborn screening services.

Exhibits will be present from professional organisations, charities and sponsors. There will also be poster displays with emphasis on sharing of good practice, research and innovation.