on behalf of all DHBs
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES
NATIONAL SCREENING UNIT SCREENING
PROGRAMMES
TIER LEVEL TWO
SERVICE SPECIFICATION
STATUS:
MANDATORY 
Approved to be used for mandatory
nationwide description of services to be
provided.
Review History
Date
Approved by Nationwide Service Framework
Coordinating Group (NCG)
March 2010
Published on NSFL in the Public Health Services
Handbook
March 2010
Review of the Public Health Screening service specifications.
Amendments: inserted content into standard service
specification format updated regulatory requirements, added
standard Māori Health clause, Purchase Unit Code table and
linking to Public Health tier one service specification and tier
three service specifications for various screening
programmes.
February 2010
Consideration for next Service Specification Review
Within five years
Note: Contact the Service Specification Programme Manager, National Health Board
Business Unit, Ministry of Health to discuss the process and guidance available in
developing new or updating and revising existing service specifications. Web site address
of the Nationwide Service Framework Library: http://www.nsfl.health.govt.nz/.
Public Health Services National Screening Unit Screening Programmes tier two service specification
February 2010
Nationwide Service Framework
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES
NATIONAL SCREENING UNIT SCREENING PROGRAMMES
TIER LEVEL TWO
SERVICE SPECIFICATION
This tier two service specification for Public Health Services - National Screening Unit
Screening Programmes- (the Service) is linked to the overarching tier one Public Health
service specification and must be used in conjunction with the following tier three
screening programme service specifications:

National Cervical Screening Programme (NCSP) specification

BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) specification

Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme (NMSP) specification

Antenatal Human Iimmunodeficiency Virus Screening Programme (AHIVSP)
specification

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme (UNHSEIP)
specification.
Refer to the Public Health Services tier one service specification under the following
headings for generic details on:

Service Objectives

Service Users

Access

Service Components

Service Linkages

Exclusions

Quality Requirements
1.
The above heading sections are applicable to all the Service deliveryService
Definition
The National Screening Unit (NSU) provides health screening programmes in New
Zealand and is responsible for the safety, effectiveness and quality of health and disability
screening programmes. The NSU leads, oversees and co-ordinates organised screening
programmes in New Zealand.
The NSU is responsible for five programmes listed below:

National Cervical Screening Programme - screens women for abnormal cell changes
on the cervix

BreastScreen Aotearoa - screens women for breast cancer

Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme - screens newborn babies for certain
metabolic disorders

Antenatal HIV Screening Programme - screens pregnant women for HIV to reduce
the chances of HIV being passed to the baby

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme - screens
newborn babies for moderate to severe hearing loss.
Public Health Services National Screening Unit Screening Programmes tier two service specification
February 2010
Nationwide Service Framework
The NSU also undertakes quality improvement measures for antenatal screening for Down
Syndrome.
2.
Service Objectives
2.1 General
Screening programmes specifically target and invite an otherwise healthy population to be
screened, with a focus on providing a population health service. Screening programmes
must be planned and delivered differently from other health services to ensure that the
benefits outweigh the harms on a population basis.
Screening programmes require national consistency of service provision and strong
national management, co-ordination and monitoring mechanisms. There is a strong
ethical responsibility on a screening programme to ensure that services are of the highest
possible quality and that diagnostic and treatment services are provided in a timely
manner.
2.2 Māori Health
Refer to the tier one Public Health Services service specification.
3.
Service Users
Refer to the relevant tier three screening programme service specifications.
4.
Access
Refer to the relevant tier three screening programme service specifications.
5.
Service Components
The core functions of the NSU include:

national co-ordination, leadership, and advice to government regarding screening

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.
Public Health Services National Screening Unit Screening Programmes tier two service specification
February 2010
Nationwide Service Framework
6.
Service Linkages
Refer to the relevant tier three screening programme service specifications for specific
linkages.
Service Provider
Māori
Māori and Pacific
providers
Nature of Linkage
Ensure Māori are involved in the design
and delivery of services targeting Māori
women and their whanau
Liaison, consultation and Maintain a community development
referral
approach in screening programme
service delivery
Liaison, consultation and Ensure a continuum of care for women
referral
and children in the screening pathway
Consultation
Primary Health
Organisations and
General Practitioners,
Nurse Practitioners
Other relevant services Liaison, consultation and
and providers (eg, Māori referral
Health, Pacific Health
and Social Work
services)
National Screening Unit Contractual,
liaison
Other non-governmental Liaison and consultation
organisations
Publicly funded disability
or long term support
Liaison
services for the Service
users with co existing
disabilities/ conditions
who meet other funding
streams eligibility criteria
such as:
Information and
advisory services (e.g.
on available services
and how to access
these)
7.
Accountabilities
Ensure equitable access to a full range of
services
Meet contractual requirements having
access to information about service
delivery and raising issues with the NSU
that will ensure quality service provision
to meet the goals of official government
strategies and policies
Maintain a community development
approach in screening
 Effective local and regional linkages
are in place to facilitate appropriate
referrals
 Service users have timely access to
appropriately presented information
and relevant advice.
Exclusions
Refer to the relevant tier three screening programme service specifications.
Public Health Services National Screening Unit Screening Programmes tier two service specification
February 2010
Nationwide Service Framework
8.
Quality Requirements
The Service must comply with the Provider Quality Standards described in the Operational
Policy Framework or, as applicable, Crown Funding Agreement Variations, contracts or
service level agreements.
The National Screening Unit (NSU) works closely with providers and DHBs to improve
coverage and the quality of the screening programmes.
9.
Purchase Units and Reporting Requirements
All Screening Purchase Codes and reporting requirements are detailed under the relevant
tier three screening programme services specifications.
10. Tier Three Service Specifications
The following service specifications for the National Screening Unit are grouped in tier
three under the five categories:
Title
Antenatal Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Screening Programme
Breastscreen Aotearoa
National Cervical Screening Programme
Newborn Metabolic Screening Unit
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening
PU Code
AHSP-30, AHSP-31, AHSP-32, AHSP-33,
AHSPPROJ
BSA-51, BSA-52, BSA-53, BSA-61,
BSA-62, BSA-63, BSA-66, BSAPROJ
NCSP0070, NCSP-10, NCSP-20, NCSP-41,
NCSP-42, NCSP-44, NCSP-46, NCSP-47,
NCSP-61, NCSP-62, NCSP-66,
NCSPPROJ,
NMSPPROJ, NMSP-1, NMSP-2, NMSP-3,
NMSP-4
UNHS-40, UNHS-41, UNHS-42,
UNHSPROJ
Public Health Services National Screening Unit Screening Programmes tier two service specification
February 2010
Nationwide Service Framework