The Newborn Screening Unit at St Thomas' is commissioned to provide five programmes to Kent, Sussex and South East London (approximately 60,000 births per year). They provide testing for Phenylketonuria, Medium Chain Acyl Co-A Dehydrogenase Deficiency, Congenital Hypothyroidism, Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle Cell Anaemia & Thalassaemia
The Regional Service has been at the forefront of the many changes in newborn screening over the past few years. The team have piloted quality initiatives such as the process guidelines and performance management audit protocols now adopted by the UK Newborn Screening Programme Centre, and the Failsafe project to identify any untested babies. They're also early implementers of the national status codes to aid rapid and accurate reporting to Child Health Records. The Director and Lead Scientist are members of local and Regional Screening Performance management teams, working with Commissioners and Public Health to ensure excellence in these programmes.
