Policy & Guidance
‘Revised Policy, Standards and Protocols to Support the Provision of Antenatal Screening in Wales’ published 25/05/10.
Antenatal screening looks at a number of conditions and consequently Antenatal Screening Wales (ASW) collaborates with a large number of stakeholders including health professional groups, experts in specific tests and conditions, service providers and voluntary sector organisations.
The revised Standards and Protocols have been the subject to consultation with ASW stakeholders from April to June 2009 and are a thorough revision and updating of the Antenatal Screening Wales Standards and Protocols published in December 2005.
This publication has an improved layout with the standards and supporting protocols grouped together to provide a clear framework for Health Boards and health professionals planning and providing care.
The document recommends small but important changes to many aspects of the antenatal screening programme in Wales. These build on the improvements achieved by the maternity, laboratory and genetics services in Wales since the 2005 publication. A particular focus in this document is the governance of the antenatal screening programme. The changes aim to build on previous success to further improve the quality of service access, timeliness, risk management, clinical effectiveness, and service audit.
The consultation responses confirmed that the concept of all Wales standards and protocols in antenatal screening was welcomed and some respondents asked for other antenatal tests to be subject to a similar all Wales framework. There was some debate in the responses about how to achieve the fine balance required obtaining informed consent when offering tests as part of routine care. This is recognised as being particularly difficult when there is a repeat offer of a screening test to women who initially decline. The need for accurate and comprehensive information for women when they are considering screening, diagnostic testing and when caring for a baby who has a life long conditions such as Down’s syndrome was emphasised.
The recommendations to modify some aspects of the antenatal screening ultrasound service to provide a more targeted and clinically effective service was welcomed. ASW is grateful to all those who responded and the consultation responses received by ASW have been used not only to refine and improve the initial consultation document but also to influence projects that ASW is taking forwards this year.
For further information, please contact:
Ann-marie Donaghy
Antenatal Screening Wales
18 Cathedral Road
Cardiff
CF11 9LJ
Tel: 029 2078 7837
