Summary

Policy, evidence and practice for screening programmes

This manual explains the evidence base, policy requirements, implementation processes, quality assurance requirements and core pathway components for screening programmes. The final chapter of the manual is a glossary of commonly used terms.

The information and resources in it are aimed at policy makers, public health leaders and screening stakeholders across the health system.

Contents

  • Executive summary

    Summary of purpose and intended audience for this manual.

  • Principles of screening

    Core principles and elements of all screening programmes

  • Informed choice

    Principles of informed choice applied in screening programmes

  • Inequalities

    Health inequalities principles for screening programmes.

  • IT and data

    Essential elements and recommended practice for screening IT systems, data collection and reporting.

  • Workforce

    Workforce considerations for screening programmes.

  • Screening standards

    Principles for developing, reviewing and publishing screening standards.

  • Effectiveness

    Best practice for assessing the effectiveness of a screening programme

  • Screening quality assurance

    Activities to assess the quality of screening programmes, monitor compliance with standards and support quality improvement.

  • Screening glossary of terms

    Definitions of words and phrases used in relation to population, targeted and stratified screening programmes.