Nerys Evans MS, Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health
Today, I am pleased to announce a significant investment in the future of newborn bloodspot screening in Wales, with the approval of both capital and revenue funding to support the expansion and modernisation of the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Wales Programme. This investment reflects our commitment to babies and families across Wales, ensuring children can benefit from timely diagnosis, treatment and support, and have the best start in life.
Newborn bloodspot screening is one of the most important public health interventions available to us. It provides opportunities for the early identification of serious conditions, enabling timely treatment and support that can prevent severe illness, disability and, in some cases, save lives. Every year, around 28,000 babies in Wales benefit from this programme.
We are prioritising this investment because of the benefits it will bring for children, families and the long-term sustainability of newborn screening services in Wales. The funding package includes up to £1.218 million in capital funding to provide additional laboratory capacity and associated infrastructure and facilities at University Hospital Wales, together with revenue funding to support the expansion and operation of the service.
Importantly, these upgrades will enable Wales to implement newborn screening for Tyrosinaemia Type 1 (HT1), a serious inherited metabolic condition for which the UK National Screening Committee recommended screening in 2022.
The improvements we are funding today are also an investment in the future. The upgraded laboratory and supporting infrastructure will place Wales in a much stronger position to respond to future recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee. As evidence develops and new conditions are considered for inclusion within newborn bloodspot screening programmes, due to this investment in the laboratory infrastructure, Wales will have the capacity and capability needed to assess and implement those recommendations safely and effectively. This includes supporting future developments and evaluations where appropriate. For example, the committee is currently developing evidence and evaluating whether Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) should be included as part of the newborn screening programmes across the UK.
This week, I met with SMA UK and families that have been affected by spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to listen to their lived experiences. I would like to thank them for their time and candour. I have asked officials to explore options for Wales to join the in-service evaluation of SMA screening that has started in Scotland and regions of England.
This decision demonstrates our commitment to maintaining a high-quality, sustainable and equitable newborn screening programme for Wales. By investing now, we are strengthening services for today’s families while ensuring that the programme is better prepared for the opportunities of the future.