The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, has today welcomed the publication of the Annual Report 2020 by the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC).

The NSAC is an expert independent committee which advises the Minister for Health about new national population screening programmes, or changes to existing programmes. It plays a vital role in ensuring that our screening programmes are in line with best international practice, and that any changes to programmes are made in a robust, evidence-based and transparent manner.

This first annual report details the activities and progress achieved by the NSAC since its establishment in late 2019 and outlines some of the key priorities for 2021.

In its first year, the NSAC made two formal recommendations to the Minister on significant changes to both the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme and Diabetic Retina Screen. It also established its processes for its future work which will include engagement with the public on new screening proposals.

Minister Donnelly said:

Despite the challenges throughout 2020, the NSAC achieved significant progress in its first year. I was happy to approve important recommendations relating to two of our national screening programmes – the Diabetic RetinaScreen programme and the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme. The HSE are now progressing with implementation of these recommendations. I have also asked that further expansion to the newborn bloodspot programme is prioritised by the NSAC in 2021.

Our population health screening programmes are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population. I am fully committed to supporting screening services and maintaining trust in our screening programmes. The NSAC plays a vital role in maintaining public confidence in screening, ensuring policy decisions are informed by the best available evidence and advice.

Chair of the National Screening Advisory Committee, Prof Niall O’Higgins said:

The NSAC has built a solid foundation in its first year of activity developing the necessary structures and processes which ensure strong governance and robust decision-making.  Importantly, we made two recommendations to the Minister for Health following rigorous assessment of evidence.  I look forward to us broadening our work in 2021, which includes further examining the expansion of newborn bloodspot screening and launching our first public call for proposals for new population screening programmes.

An important objective for the Committee is to play a strong role in promoting public trust and understanding in population screening. The impact of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of population health and it is important that we harness the relevant learnings into our future work to promote and protect public health. I would also like to thank the Committee members, the HIQA team and the secretariat for all the hard work, expert advice and enthusiasm over the past year.

Key achievements of the NSAC in 2020:

• The NSAC held three meetings in 2020. Its diverse membership enables the Committee to respond and advise on relevant developments across many scientific, clinical, social, ethical, legal issues associated with population health screening.
• The addition of ADA -SCID (Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency – Severe Combined Immunodeficiency) to the list of conditions screened as part of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme. Ireland will now screen for 9 conditions under this Programme. This means that affected babies will be identified earlier, commenced on treatment earlier and outcomes will be improved.
• The modification of the Diabetic RetinaScreen – the National Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme, to extend the interval between screens from one to two years for people with diabetes who are at low risk of retinopathy. This change will reduce unnecessary clinic visits and examinations for lower risk patients.
• A specialist team is in place in HIQA to support the work of the NSAC, in particular to provide expertise in reviewing and assessing evidence to inform NSAC decisions.

The NSAC Annual Report 2020 is available for download from the dedicated website www.nsacommittee.gov.ie

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