UK NSC consultations
The UK NSC is currently consulting on newborn screening for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and adult screening for dementia.
Types of UK NSC consultation
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) runs the following types of public consultations.
Condition recommendation consultations
These relate to whether to screen for a certain condition. They are the most common type of consultation. The UK NSC reviews conditions every 3 years to determine whether it can recommend a screening programme. You can find these conditions in the UK NSC’s recommendations list.
There are slightly different review processes depending on whether the condition is currently recommended or not currently recommended for screening.
Programme change consultations
For conditions where there is already a population screening programme, the UK NSC carries out programme change reviews. They relate to how to screen, rather than whether to screen. They are to make recommendations on changing an existing programme, for instance to introduce a new type of screening test.
Open consultations
1. The UK NSC is currently consulting on newborn screening for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD)
The consultation documents can be downloaded by clicking the ‘View documents’ grey button on the UK NSC metachromatic leukodystrophy screening recommendation page.
To respond to the consultation, click the ‘Submit comments’ green button on the MLD recommendation page (link above), which provides a template for your response. Or you can send an email with your comments to uknsc@dhsc.gov.uk.
This consultation closes at 11.59pm on Tuesday 5 August 2025.
2. The UK NSC is currently consulting on adult screening for dementia
The consultation documents can be downloaded by clicking the ‘View documents’ grey button on the UK NSC dementia screening recommendation page.
To respond to the consultation, click the ‘Submit comments’ green button on the dementia recommendation page (link above), which provides a template for your response. Or you can send an email with your comments to uknsc@dhsc.gov.uk.
This consultation closes at 11.59pm on 9 September 2025.
Closed programme change consultations
Find details of all previous (closed) UK NSC programme change consultations.
Subscribe to UK NSC updates to receive alerts when the UK NSC opens screening consultations into conditions you are interested in.
Updates to this page
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Consultation on screening for dementia added.
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Opening of consultation into screening for Metachromatic leukodystrophy.
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Opening of consultation into a recommendation to offer HPV self-sampling option to under-screened people in the cervical screening programme.
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Consultation open into dental disease screening in children aged 6 to 9 years.
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Closing of consultation into Edwards' syndrome screening pathway modification.
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Addition of consultation into addition of quad test to Edwards' syndrome screening pathway.
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Digital pathology consultation has ended.
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Consultation opens on allowing use of digital pathology in cancer screening programmes.
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Vasa praevia consultation has ended
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Opening of consultation into screening for vasa praevia.
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End of pre-eclampsia consultation
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End of HTLV consultation
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End of iron deficiency anaemia consultation
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opening of consultation on pre-eclampsia
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Consultation opened for human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type 1
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End of autism consultation
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Consultation on lung cancer screening has closed.
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Consultation closed on screening for primary hypertension in children and young people
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Opening consultation on screening for iron deficiency anaemia in children.
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Consultation opened on screening for autism.
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End of consultation on tyrosinaemia.
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Added details that the population screening programme consultation for lung cancer is now open.
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Opening of public consultation on screening for primary hypertension in children and young people.
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Consultation closed for cytomegalovirus.
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End of thyroid disease consultation period
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UK NSC consultation on tyrosinaemia now open.
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Consultation opened into screening for cytomegalovirus (CMV).
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Updated list of current UK NSC consultations to include consultation on thyroid disease.
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Updated the list of current UK NSC consultations.
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Added alcohol misuse and Duchenne muscular dystrophy to the current consultations.
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The UK NSC has started consultations on screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, automated grading in diabetic eye screening and the use of AI in breast cancer screening.
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First published.