Executive Summary 59,010 of the 59,640 babies born in 2016 were screened by the NMSP; a national coverage rate of 98.9%, which is in line with coverage rates since the programme began in 1969. However, there was variance at a local DHB level, with coverage rates ranging from 94.3% to 99.8%. In 2016 coverage varied by ethnic with 97.2% of Māori, 97.6% of Pacific, and 99.7% of newborns of all other ethnicities screened. From 2017 DHBs will be increasingly encouraged to match their birth data and babies screened data to ensure all consented babies are screened. The congenital disorders screened for by the NMSP are rare. In 2016 48 newborns were diagnosed with a screened disorder. The NMSP monitors timeframes the screening pathway, from collection of blood spot samples through to clinical handover for care if needed, to ensure that newborns diagnosed with a screened condition are treated as soon as possible. While laboratory testing timeframes were uniformly high, as in previous years few of the general timeframe standards were met in 2016. spot cards are expected to arrive at the laboratory within four days of sampling. In 2016 76% arrived in the timeframe. The national standard is 95%. This shortfall is a known and longstanding issue that, since 2015, has been the focus of quarterly time’ reports to ‘transit DHBs, to prompt a process quality improvement focus. The result has been a 10% lift in the four day transit rate, from 66% to 76% over the two years between 2014 and 2016. Also, higher volume maternity units are now shifting to using courier services, which is expected to improve transit rates further. A continuing success for the programme in 2016 was the impact of the new and text service between LabPlus and Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs), aimed at improving the turnaround time of requests for second samples. The rate of return within the expected 10-day timeframe has risen 35% over two years, from 38% in 2014 to 73% in 2016. This particular quality improvement was recognised by an ADHB Health Excellence Award presented to the LabPlus staff involved. In 2016 the NSU, in conjunction with the programme’s lead paediatricians and laboratory scientists, started a review of the monitoring indicators. It is expected that this revision will be completed in 2017, and that future annual reports will use the updated indicators.
Executive Summary 59,010 of the 59,640 babies born in 2016 were screened by the NMSP; a national coverage rate of 98.9%, which is in line with coverage rates since the programme began in 1969. However, there was variance at a local DHB level, with coverage rates ranging from 94.3% to 99.8%. In 2016 coverage varied by ethnic with 97.2% of Māori, 97.6% of Pacific, and 99.7% of newborns of all other ethnicities screened. From 2017 DHBs will be increasingly encouraged to match their birth data and babies screened data to ensure all consented babies are screened. The congenital disorders screened for by the NMSP are rare. In 2016 48 newborns were diagnosed with a screened disorder. The NMSP monitors timeframes the screening pathway, from collection of blood spot samples through to clinical handover for care if needed, to ensure that newborns diagnosed with a screened condition are treated as soon as possible. While laboratory testing timeframes were uniformly high, as in previous years few of the general timeframe standards were met in 2016. spot cards are expected to arrive at the laboratory within four days of sampling. In 2016 76% arrived in the timeframe. The national standard is 95%. This shortfall is a known and longstanding issue that, since 2015, has been the focus of quarterly ‘transit time’ reports to DHBs, to prompt a process quality improvement focus. The result has been a 10% lift in the four day transit rate, from 66% to 76% over the two years between 2014 and 2016. Also, higher volume maternity units are now shifting to using courier services, which is expected to improve transit rates further. A continuing success for the programme in 2016 was the impact of the new and text service between LabPlus and Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs), aimed at improving the turnaround time of requests for second samples. The rate of return within the expected 10-day timeframe has risen 35% over two years, from 38% in 2014 to 73% in 2016. This particular quality improvement was recognised by an ADHB Health Excellence Award presented to the LabPlus staff involved. In 2016 the NSU, in conjunction with the programme’s lead paediatricians and laboratory scientists, started a review of the monitoring indicators. It is expected that this revision will be completed in 2017, and that future annual reports will use the updated indicators.
nmsp_annual_report_2016.docx