NZ Ministry of Health Web Page
Printed 11/26/2009 01:22:57 PM
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The National Screening Unit
www.moh.govt.nz/nationalscreeningunit
The National Screening Unit (NSU) provides health screening programmes in New Zealand. A separate unit of the Ministry of Health, the NSU is responsible for the safety, effectiveness and quality of health and disability screening programmes.
The NSU is currently responsible for five screening programmes:
Antenatal HIV Screening Programme
(www.nsu.govt.nz) - screens pregnant women for HIV to reduce the chances of HIV being passed to the baby
BreastScreen Aotearoa
(www.nsu.govt.nz) - screens women for breast cancer
National Cervical Screening Programme
(www.nsu.govt.nz) - screens women for abnormal changes to cells on the cervix
Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme
(www.nsu.govt.nz) - screens newborn babies for certain metabolic disorders
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme
(www.nsu.govt.nz) - screens newborn babies for hearing loss
The National Screening Unit is also responsible for introducing the quality improvement measures for antenatal screening for Down syndrome and other anomalies.
The NSU monitors the quality of screening programmes, and works with expert groups to make sure each screening programme is based on the latest evidence and meets high standards.
The NSU also advises the Government on other potential programmes.
In December 2006, the report
Chlamydia Screening in New Zealand: Report for the National Screening Unit
was published by the NSU. The report was prepared as a contribution towards the development of policy advice regarding screening for chlamydia in New Zealand. Currently the NSU does not run a screening programme for chlamydia.
The NSU is not currently undertaking any work on prostate cancer screening.
The core functions of the National Screening Unit include:
national co-ordination, leadership, and advice to government regarding screening
ensuring obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi are met
research and development including evaluation of new evidence related to screening and evidence-based appraisal of technological advances in screening
developing frameworks, standards and policy, and monitoring performance evaluating screening services
coordinating, leading and developing a screening workforce
administering legislation related to screening programmes
identifying under-screened groups and developing effective strategies to improve their participation.
For further information about the National Screening Unit, go to their website
www.nsu.govt.nz
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