08
January 2018

Supporting new-born screening: LGC and NHS England Knowledge Transfer Partnership

The UK National Measurement Laboratory (NML) at LGC are working in collaboration with Dr Rachel Carling, Consultant Clinical Scientist, Director of Service and Clinical Lead, Viapath, Guys & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, one of the first recipients of the NHS Chief Scientific Officer's Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP).

Rachel is working with our Organic Analysis Team within the NML to investigate potential measurement improvements to support the Newborn Blood Spot Screening programme. The KTP brings together the mass spectrometry expertise and experience in reference method and material development of our Organic Analysis Team with Rachel’s clinical experience. One of the major outputs of the KTP will be the dissemination of best practice for statistical and mass spectrometry-based approaches to stakeholders involved in the screening process.

Rachel said: "I am delighted to be working with LGC and by extending the collaboration to include the UK Newborn Screening Laboratory Network, I am confident that we can further improve the methodology which underpins the screening programme."

Chris Hopley, Principal Scientist, Organic Analysis, commented: “This project is a great opportunity to engage with the NHS on improving measurement in healthcare. The Newborn Screening programme impacts on every child born in the UK, and we are relishing the chance to be working with the NHS to share best practice on clinical measurement.”

A workshop to discuss best practice for new-born screening will be held in London on Tuesday 27 February 2018.
 
The NHS KTP is a 12-month program, run in partnership between NHS England and three UK National Measurement System (NMS) laboratories (LGC, NPL and NIBSC). It provides clinical leaders in healthcare science access to the unique capabilities within the National Measurement Laboratories to identify new approaches to measurement within their fields of expertise, ultimately helping to improve patient care. The KTP is designed to enable the scientists to remain in clinical service whilst building long-term partnerships between the NMS laboratories and the NHS, ensuring science and innovation are firmly at the heart of healthcare in the UK.