When assessing the case for newborn screening for rare diseases, as with all other diseases and conditions, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) uses internationally recognised criteria, and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. It is only where the UK NSC is confident that the offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended.

The UK NSC is an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening and supports implementation.

The National Health Service is taking crucial steps to improve cancer outcomes for patients across England, including for lung cancer. The NHS is currently rolling out the National Lung Cancer Screening Programme to people with a history of smoking.

The timescale for full implementation of the lung cancer screening programme, alongside further 10-Year Health Plan initiatives, will be specified in due course.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) usually meets three times a year. In 2024 the UK NSC met twice, firstly in March, in an online format, and again in November, in person with online facilities available. The June meeting did not take place as it fell in between the pre-election period of 25 May to 4 July ahead of the United Kingdom general election. Information about the UK NSC’s meetings and minutes can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-nsc-meetings-and-minutes

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) and its secretariat have adopted several robust strategies that support responsiveness to innovation in screening.

The committee uses the expertise of its research and methodology group to help researchers focus the design of screening research to ensure it addresses questions in a way that is useful for screening policy. Where screening research trials are ongoing, the secretariat maintains close contact with researchers to ensure that we are proactive in response to the results coming out of the trial.

Where there are evidence gaps in screening research, in-service evaluations provide an innovative solution to generating high quality evidence for the UK NSC in live National Health Services. The UK NSC secretariat works closely with NHS England on upcoming work so that the NHS can optimise their preparations in their readiness for the implementation of recommendations agreed by ministers.

Networking across the healthcare landscape both nationally and internationally helps to ensure that the UK NSC keeps abreast of developments in screening and identifies viable innovations in tests and treatments that are suitable in the context of the United Kingdom. Collaboration between organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, and professional bodies such as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists supports joined up working with partners and avoids unnecessary duplication.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) evidence review for prostate cancer screening is already underway, and plans to report within the UK NSC’s three-year work plan.

The review of whether to screen for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is under active consideration. At the June UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) meeting this was tabled for discussion. Minutes of this meeting are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-meeting-june-2023/uk-nsc-minutes-june-2023

The UK NSC supported the proposal to commission a cost effectiveness modelling study and to start planning a high-quality in-service evaluation to support a UK NSC recommendation. Due to these new decisions made at the June meeting, no timetable has yet been developed.

As per the UK NSC’s published process, the committee will hold a three-month public consultation on SMA inviting stakeholders and members of the public to comment and submit further evidence for consideration. It will keep the public abreast of developments via its blogs and ongoing stakeholder engagement activities.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not recommend a screening programme for prostate cancer, as the screening test of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is not sufficiently accurate to detect prostate cancer that needs treatment. However, the National Health Service prostate cancer risk management programme provides general practitioners and primary care professionals with information for asymptomatic men aged 50 years old and over. The UK NSC will review the evidence to screen for prostate cancer in 2023.

The Department is not aware of any such applications made by the Government to the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC).

As an independent expert scientific committee, the UK NSC may have received applications for screening assessments from third parties

We are working rapidly to provide all hon. Members with accurate answers to their questions, as well as supporting the Government’s response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) welcomes the Independent Breast Screening Review report 2018 and will review the recommendations set out.

In the meantime, the evidence to routinely screen women over 70 years of age is limited and we await the results of the Age Extension trial to help provide essential evidence needed to help better understand what the benefit and harms are when offering screening in women aged 71 to 73. The UK NSC is also looking at the age at which screening should no longer be routinely offered.

The Department will commission the UK National Screening Committee to provide advice as soon as possible on the scientific evidence to support a definition of age at which women should be invited for their final breast screen.

On the basis of the Committee’s advice, the Department will work with Public Health England and NHS England to ensure that a new, fit-for-purpose specification for the national breast screening service is agreed and reflected in the programme’s delivery.

Where the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not recommend screening for a particular condition, the evidence is reviewed again in three years as part of its regular review cycle. The next evidence review for atrial fibrillation is expected to commence in 2017/18.

If any new published peer reviewed evidence emerges before the upcoming review, which may change the current recommendation, individuals or organisations may alert the UK NSC to this.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) requests that all members declare any personal or business interests which the public might reasonably think could influence their judgement as part of the activities undertaken for the UK NSC on the conflict of interest form and declaration.

The conflict of interest form further requests for the member to include any personal direct and indirect interests, including close family members and others living in the same household. The form is consistent with those of other scientific advisory committees and upholds the seven principles of public life – the Nolan principles. Members are able to express any changes in situations at any time and are directed to withdraw from any discussions where they feel they cannot act impartially.

Termination of membership from the UK NSC may arise where the Chair takes in good belief that the member has acted dishonestly or under duress to influence a recommendation.

Ms Jane Fisher is one of the patient and public voice representatives on the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). Members are appointed on to the UK NSC as individuals to fulfil the terms of reference of the committee, not as representatives of their particular professions, or their employer or any interest group. At the UK NSC’s meeting on 19 November 2015, Ms Fisher disclosed publicly that, “ARC has received unrestricted donations from biotechnical companies that provide non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and a breakdown of donation has been provided to the UK NSC. ARC is a non-directive organisation which advocates individual choice. They do not promote any products or services. Money donated is put towards sustaining the service provided.” A copy of the minutes of the UK NSC’s meeting on 19 November 2015 is attached.

Ministers have accepted the UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) recommendation on replacing the guaiac Faecal Occult Blood test with the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. Following the change to FIT we expect that around 200,000 more people per year will take up the opportunity to be screened as part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in England. This has the potential to save hundreds more lives by detecting bowel cancer earlier. Public Health England is responsible for the leadership of the NHS Screening Programmes and will oversee the change to the programme in partnership with NHS England.

Ministers are currently considering the UK NSC’s recommendation that human papillomavirus testing should replace the currently used cytology test as primary screening for cervical disease.

Ministers have accepted the UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) recommendation on replacing the guaiac Faecal Occult Blood test with the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. Following the change to FIT we expect that around 200,000 more people per year will take up the opportunity to be screened as part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in England. This has the potential to save hundreds more lives by detecting bowel cancer earlier. Public Health England is responsible for the leadership of the NHS Screening Programmes and will oversee the change to the programme in partnership with NHS England.

Ministers are currently considering the UK NSC’s recommendation that human papillomavirus testing should replace the currently used cytology test as primary screening for cervical disease.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy and supports implementation. Using research evidence, pilot programmes and economic evaluation, it assesses the evidence for programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria. As an advisory group it exercises its functions on behalf of the department.

The department works closely with the UK NSC and scrutinises the work and findings of the committee in a number of ways. It provides the secretariat on behalf of the devolved Administrations. In this role it is responsible for ensuring that the UK NSC acts within its remit and terms of reference and that it acts independently and impartially. The department is also represented on the committee and regularly sends observers to meetings. It is also responsible for holding the UK NSC to account for proper use of public funds and for the setting and delivery of its objectives.