NCSP: quality assurance (QA) framework
Updated 24 June 2021
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Changes to the National Chlamydia Screening Programme were announced in June 2021. The content on this page is currently being updated to reflect these changes.
The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) aims to:
- prevent and control chlamydia through early detection and treatment of asymptomatic infection
- reduce onward transmission to sexual partners
- prevent the consequences of untreated infection
- raise awareness and skills of health professionals to screen for chlamydia, and provide the information young adults need to reduce the risk of infection and transmission
The NCSP is committed to supporting the highest possible standards in the commissioning and provision of chlamydia screening. This is presented in a quality assurance (QA) framework, consisting of a number of components. The combination of these components enables the NCSP to continue to contribute to service improvement.
The QA framework has a pragmatic and flexible approach that includes 6 components:
1. Standards
The NCSP has minimum standards for local implementation of chlamydia screening plans (aligned to those of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) on providing sexual health services). Consistent, high quality practice across all screening venues is fundamental to the success of the NCSP in achieving its aim of preventing and controlling chlamydia infection.
The NCSP standards provides a set of quality standards for programmes to monitor themselves against. These are minimum specifications to help programmes set up local agreements and contracts, and facilitate quality assurance procedures and monitoring. The standards cover the necessary structures for local programmes, including patient pathways, data collection and quality assurance. There are also summary sheets to assist both providers and commissioners with the implementation of the standards.
The ‘NCSP Standards 7th edition’ (May 2014).
2. Guidance
We provide guidance and support in applying the standards to both commissioners and providers. Publications include (but are not limited to) guidance on:
- service planning
- the Public Health Outcomes framework
- chlamydia screening data collection
- internet-based chlamydia testing
- commissioning chlamydia screening from GPs and community pharmacies achieving the diagnostic rate
- integrating chlamydia screening into core sexual health and primary care services
Guidance also includes position statements, NCSP programme material and translated patient information leaflets.
3. Audits and surveys
The NCSP carries out regular audits and surveys focusing on various aspects of the programme, in order to better understand the extent to which standards are being met, and to support programmes in driving improvement. Audits are also used to measure additional aspects of good practice in service commissioning and provision (as opposed to only measuring achievement of NCSP standards).
NCSP audit tools apply to different screening settings and venues. They:
- facilitate benchmarking
- are available to download for local use to assist providers and commissioners in undertaking self assessments when implementing standards or guidance
Information obtained through all the audits and surveys is fed into the development of new or updated guidance.
In order to assist providers in monitoring their local turnaround times to drive service improvement, we have designed a turnaround time audit tool. This tool is based on the one used for the national audit and has been further refined.
The tool called ‘NCSP audit tool to measure turnaround times example’ contains random dummy data to show what the outputs against the standards look like upon completion of the data entry tab. It contains detailed table of results by age and gender, as well as charts on the distribution of number of days in turnaround time. The version called ‘NCSP audit tool to measure turnaround times’, is a blank file that can be downloaded for local use.
The results of the internet-based chlamydia testing audit and recommendations for improvements are available in the report.
4. Monitoring Incidents and dissemination lessons learned
The NCSP monitors incidents in relation to the programme and disseminates anonymised ‘lessons learned’ reports when required. Our Incident Reporting Policy was last updated in November 2014 to ensure it is in line with the latest development in governance arrangements between commissioners and providers. It does not replace existing local reporting procedures.
We do not get involved in local incident investigation and management, but we will offer support if local investigations do not lead to satisfactory outcomes.
We encourage providers and commissioners to report incidents to the NCSP. As a national team, we are uniquely positioned to disseminate anonymised summaries or lessons learned reports, allowing providers and commissioners to check their local arrangements and minimise the risk of similar incidents occurring again elsewhere.
5. CTAD and GUMCAD data
Existing data sets, the CTAD Chlamydia Surveillance System and GUMCAD STI Surveillance System are used to inform service improvement. Identify potential examples of good practice to inform service improvement and share findings through the sexual health facilitator network and NCSP and PHE communications channels.
6. Benchmarking
The NCSP continues to use benchmarking so service providers and commissioners can assess their performance in order to inform service improvement. By identifying areas that perform well on certain auditable outcome measure or in other elements of the care pathway, we can further drive quality improvement. We do this through data analysis as well as in our design and reporting of audits.
We also continue to work with related organisations in sexual health including BASHH, Medical Foundation for HIV and Sexual Health (MEDFASH), Faculty for Sexual Reproductive Health (FSRH), the British HIV Association (BHIVA), and the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP).
For any queries or comments, please contact ncsp.team@phe.gov.uk