Research and analysis

Antenatal and newborn screening KPI data: Q2 summary factsheets

Updated 16 June 2022

Please be aware that this data covers the period through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Provider performance should therefore be interpreted with caution.

In addition to this, some providers were justifiably not able to make timely data returns or validate their data in this period. We recommend looking at the historical trend data of services before the COVID-19 pandemic to help interpret the data.

1. Fetal anomaly (FA) screening

1.1 KPI FA2: coverage – fetal anomaly ultrasound

National performance of FA2 in Q1 2020 to 2021 was 99.3%, the highest ever level recorded for this key performance indicator (KPI0. FA2 is collected 6 months (2 quarters) in arrears. The national trend graph below shows that FA2 performance has remained above the achievable threshold of 95% since 1 April 2017.

All screening services which submitted data (140 out of 142) met the acceptable threshold of 90%. One hundred and thirty-nine services met the achievable threshold of 95% and 39 of them reported performance of 100%.

Quarter 1 performance

Reporting period 1 April to 30 June 2020
Numerator 135,218
Denominator 136,228
Performance 99.3%
Completeness of data 98.6%
Region Performance %
London 99.2%
Midlands and East 99.4%
North 99.3%
South 99.2%
England 99.3%

1.2 KPI FA3

There is no intention to publish FA3 by individual maternity service. We are reviewing the data with the aim of publishing it nationally in the future.

In Q2, 138 out of 142 screening services submitted data.

1.3 KPI FA4

FA4 was introduced in 2020 to 2021. New KPIs are not published in the first year of data collection. This time is used to improve the data quality and completeness by revising the definition, adding clarity or setting thresholds as required. After this time, we will review the data with the aim of publishing it from the following year.

2. Infectious diseases (IDs) in pregnancy screening

2.1 KPI ID1: HIV coverage

National performance of ID1 in Q2 was 99.8%, the highest ever level recorded for this KPI. The national trend graph below shows that ID1 performance has remained above the achievable threshold of 99% since 1 April 2017.

All 142 screening services submitted data, and all of them reached the achievable threshold of 99%.

Twenty-eight screening services reported performance of 100%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 158,284
Denominator 158,611
Performance 99.8%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 99.8%
Midlands and East 99.8%
North 99.7%
South 99.8%
England 99.8%

2.2 KPI ID2: diagnosis/intervention – timely assessment of women with hepatitis B

National performance of ID2 in Q2 was 88.2%. The national trend graph below shows that ID2 performance has remained above the acceptable threshold of 70% since 1 April 2017.

All 142 screening services submitted data, including 65 services that reported zero women. Of the remaining 77 services, 61 met the acceptable threshold. ID2 is a small number KPI, therefore the data should be interpreted with caution.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 179
Denominator 203
Performance 88.2%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 87.8%
Midlands and East 86.7%
North 89.4%
South 90.9%
England 88.2%

2.3 KPI ID3: coverage – hepatitis B

National performance of ID3 in Q2 was 99.8%, slightly higher than the previous 2 quarters. The national trend graph below shows that ID3 performance has remained above the achievable threshold of 99% since 1 April 2018 when it was first introduced.

All 142 screening services submitted data, and all of them met the acceptable threshold of 95%.

One hundred and forty-one screening services reached the achievable threshold of 99%, and 28 of them reported performance of 100%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 158,285
Denominator 158,608
Performance 99.8%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 99.8%
Midlands and East 99.8%
North 99.7%
South 99.8%
England 99.8%

2.4 KPI ID4: coverage – syphilis

National performance of ID4 in Q2 was 99.8%, higher than the previous 2 quarters. The national trend graph below shows that ID4 performance has remained above the achievable threshold of 99% since 1 April 2018 when it was first introduced.

All 142 screening services submitted data, and all of them reached the achievable threshold of 99%.

Twenty-eight screening services reported performance of 100%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 158,281
Denominator 158,606
Performance 99.8%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 99.8%
Midlands and East 99.8%
North 99.7%
South 99.8%
England 99.8%

3. Sickle cell and thalassaemia screening

3.1 KPI ST1: coverage – antenatal screening

National performance of ST1 in Q2 was 99.7%. The national trend graph below shows that ST1 performance has remained above the achievable threshold of 99% since 1 April 2017.

All 142 screening services submitted data, and all of them met the acceptable threshold of 95%.

One hundred and thirty-six screening services reached the achievable threshold of 99%, and 27 of them reported performance of 100%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 158,118
Denominator 158,550
Performance 99.7%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 99.8%
Midlands and East 99.8%
North 99.6%
South 99.7%
England 99.7%

3.2 KPI ST2: test – timeliness of antenatal screening

National performance of ST2 in Q2 was 49.1%. The national trend graph below shows that ST2 performance has dropped below the acceptable threshold of 50% for Q1 and Q2 of 2020 to 2021.

Data suggests that while services were maintained, performance was affected for this KPI during COVID-19. This is not unexpected as technical guidance in place at the time stated that services could offer screening later than 10 weeks.

One hundred and thirty-eight out of 142 screening services submitted data for this KPI for Q2.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 79,129
Denominator 161,075
Performance 49.1%
Completeness of data 97.2%
Region Performance %
London 32.0%
Midlands and East 49.5%
North 60.0%
South 50.4%
England 49.1%

3.3 KPI ST3: test – timeliness of antenatal screening

National performance of ST3 in Q2 was 97.5%. The national trend graph below shows that ST3 performance has remained above the acceptable threshold of 95% since 1 April 2017.

All 142 screening services submitted data, and 127 met the acceptable threshold.

Sixty-two services met the achievable threshold of 99%, and 16 of them reported 100%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 161,976
Denominator 166,193
Performance 97.5%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 96.3%
Midlands and East 98.2 %
North 97.3%
South 97.8%
England 97.5%

3.4 KPI ST4a: referral – timely offer of prenatal diagnosis (PND) to women at risk of having an infant with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia

National performance of ST4a in Q2 was 44.4%. The national trend graph below shows the ST4a performance since the KPI was first published from 1 April 2019. Thresholds have not yet been set for this KPI.

All 142 screening services submitted data, including 66 services that reported zero women at risk.

We have identified quality issues with the submitted data, therefore we recommend that regional performance is not compared. We share screening service level data with NHS England and NHS Improvement and we’re reviewing this KPI with the aim of improving data quality.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 220
Denominator 496
Performance 44.4%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 41.5%
Midlands and East 45.5%
North 56.3%
South 54.1%
England 44.4%

3.5 KPI ST4b: referral – timely offer of prenatal diagnosis (PND) to couples at risk of having an infant with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia

National performance of ST4b in Q2 was 61.9%. The national trend graph below shows the ST4b performance since the KPI was first published from 1 April 2019. Thresholds have not yet been set for this KPI.

All 142 screening services submitted data, including 60 services that reported zero couples at risk.

We have identified quality issues with the submitted data; therefore we recommend that regional performance is not compared. We share screening service level data with NHS England and NHS Improvement and we’re reviewing this KPI with the aim of improving data quality.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 153
Denominator 247
Performance 61.9%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 54.7%
Midlands and East 66.7%
North 68.9%
South 66.7%
England 61.9%

4. Newborn blood spot screening

4.1 KPI NB1: coverage of clinical commissioning group (CCG) responsibility at birth

National performance of NB1 in Q2 was 97.4%. The national trend graph below shows that NB1 performance has remained above the acceptable threshold of 95% since 1 April 2017.

All 135 CCGs submitted data, and 118 met the acceptable threshold of 95%.

Fifty-four CCGs reached the achievable threshold of 99%, and 14 of them reported performance of 100%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 139,400
Denominator 143,171
Performance 97.4%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 96.5%
Midlands and East 98.8%
North 97.3%
South 96.3%
England 97.4%

4.2 KPI NB2: test – quality of the blood spot sample

National performance of NB2 in Q2 was 2.2%. The national trend graph below shows that NB2 performance has again increased above the acceptable threshold 2%. NB2 is a KPI where a lower performance is better.

Due to COVID-19, during Q1 (April to June) newborn screening laboratories were instructed to relax blood spot acceptance criteria on samples that would normally have been rejected and to accept day-four samples. Together these factors are likely to explain the reduced ‘avoidable repeat’ rate observed during Q1.

All 142 screening services submitted data in Q2.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 3,330
Denominator 152,228
Performance 2.2%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 1.7%
Midlands and East 1.8%
North 3.0%
South 2.2%
England 2.2%

4.3 KPI NB4: coverage of movers in

National performance of NB4 in Q2 was 90.6%. The national trend graph below shows that NB4 performance has remained below the acceptable threshold of 95% since 1 April 2017.

All 135 CCGs submitted data, and 46 met the acceptable threshold. Eighteen CCGs reached the achievable threshold of 99%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 10,317
Denominator 11,386
Performance 90.6%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 88.2%
Midlands and East 91.6%
North 92.2%
South 91.4%
England 90.6%

5. Newborn hearing screening

5.1 KPI NH1: coverage

National performance of NH1 in Q2 was 97.8%. The national trend graph below shows that NH1 performance has dropped below the acceptable threshold of 98% in the last 3 quarters, although it has risen again in Q2.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the newborn hearing screening programme (NHSP) encouraged services to continue screening where safe to do so in line with national standards and the NHSP technical guidance. However, in some areas screening was delayed due to COVID-19 and we have seen lower coverage as a result. This particularly affected community services where health visitors suspended home visits.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 146,770
Denominator 150,056
Performance 97.8%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 96.8%
Midlands and East 98.2%
North 97.5%
South 98.6%
England 97.8%

5.2 KPI NH2: diagnosis/intervention – time from screening outcome to attendance at an audiological assessment appointment

National performance of NH2 in Q2 was 87.4%. The national trend graph below shows that NH2 performance has dropped significantly below the acceptable threshold of 90% in Q4 2019 to 2020 and Q1 2020 to 20201, however in Q2 it has risen again.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in line with NHSE guidance, many audiology departments closed. This resulted in a delay in the assessment of babies referred from the screen in most services.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 3,432
Denominator 3,927
Performance 87.4%
Completeness of data 100%
Region Performance %
London 85.4%
Midlands and East 86.8%
North 88.1%
South 90.6%
England 87.4%

6. Newborn and infant physical examination screening

6.1 KPI NP1: coverage

National performance of NP1 in Q2 was 97.0%. The national trend graph below shows that NP1 performance has remained above the acceptable threshold of 95% since 1 July 2017.

One hundred and twenty-one out of 132 screening services met the acceptable threshold (one service did not submit data).

Seven services met the achievable threshold of 99.5%.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 145,126
Denominator 149,690
Performance 97.0%
Completeness of data 99.2%
Region Performance %
London 96.4%
Midlands and East 97.4%
North 96.6%
South 97.3%
England 97.0%

6.2 KPI NP2: diagnosis/intervention – timeliness of intervention for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)

National performance of NP2 in Q2 was 33.2%. The national trend graph below shows that NP2 performance has remained below the acceptable threshold of 95% since 1 April 2017.

We recommend not to use NP2 data as a performance measure because of issues with data quality. Work to improve this data is ongoing through the newborn and infant physical examination (NIPE) data quality improvement project.

Quarter 2 performance

Reporting period 1 July to 30 September 2020
Numerator 325
Denominator 980
Performance 33.2%
Completeness of data 99.2%
Region Performance %
London 38.5%
Midlands and East 28.0%
North 39.8%
South 31.8%
England 33.2%