The National Screening Advisory Committee held its first meeting of 2020

The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) held its first meeting of 2020 on Thursday 5 March 2020.

The meeting gave the Committee an opportunity to build on the work begun at its inaugural meeting in November of last year, and to agree the structural and procedural documentation that will set out how the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) conducts its business.

The Committee welcomed Dr Patricia Harrington, Head of Assessment at the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Directorate at HIQA. Dr Harrington presented the draft National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC)/ HIQA Work Programme 2020 to 2021. A discussion took place around the procedures by which the Health Technology Assessment team will collaborate with the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) as the work of the Committee develops.

The Department of Health has signed a Service Level Agreement with the UK National Screening Committee. Since it was established in 1996 the UK NSC has accumulated enormous experience and expertise which will be available to the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC). This agreement includes the opportunity to engage on the development of evidence-review documents produced by the UK National Screening Committee and also provides observer status at UK National Screening meetings.

This arrangement will provide expert information and support to the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC). I updated the Committee on my recent attendance at a meeting of the UK National Screening Committee.

The Committee discussed the methods by which the new applications and revision to existing screening programmes will be sought and processed. It was emphasised that applications will be assessed on the basis of sound verifiable international evidence.

One of the Committee members, Dr Abigail Collins, in her capacity as a member of the National Newborn Bloodspot Governance Group reported to the Committee on the current evidence-base supporting the addition of ADA SCID to the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme. It is expected that the Governance Group will, in the near future, make an application to the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) to have ADA SCID added to the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme.

The Committee approved the proposal by the Chair to invite the following as observers to attend meetings of the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC):

• National Manager, National Advocacy Service
• President, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
• President, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
• President, Irish College of General Practitioners

The Committee also approved the proposal to establish an International Advisory Faculty to be available for consultation and advice and it was agreed to extend an invitation to join to:-

• Professor Harry de Konig, Professor of Public Health and Screening Evaluation, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• Professor Robert Steele, CBE, Professor of Surgery and Head of the Cancer Research Division, University of Dundee; Chair, UK National Screening Committee
• Professor Peter Boyle, President of the International Prevention Research Institute, Lyon, France

More information about the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) and the recent meeting can be found here: www.nsacommittee.gov.ie

Professor Niall O’Higgins

Chair of the National Screening Advisory Committee

1 April 2020

Notes for Editor:

The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is an independent advisory committee and will advise the Minister and Department of Health on all new proposals for population-based screening programmes and revisions to existing programmes.

The Committee will play a significant strategic role in the development and consideration of population-based screening programmes in Ireland.

The National Screening Advisory Committee does not have any operational role in the day to day running of any screening programmes. That remains the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Chair of the National Screening Advisory Committee

• Prof Niall O’Higgins

National Screening Advisory Committee Members

• Dr Abigail Collins
• Dr John Ward
• Dr. Mary Codd
• Dr Sheelagh McGuinness
• Dr Velma Harkin
• Professor Andrew Green
• Dr James O’Mahony
• Martina Fitzgerald
• Irene Regan
• John Gleeson
• Dr Susan Kent
• Dr Keelin O’Donoghue
• Dr Ellen Crushell
• Dr Paul D’Alton
• Dr Paul Kavanagh
• Anne Burke
• Jillian van Turnhout
• Professor Michael Rigby
• Prof Ciaran O’Neill

ENDS