IT and Information Systems

eScreener Plus (eSP)

At the heart of NHSP is our national information system called eSP (eScreener Plus). This is supplied by our commercial partner, Northgate Information Solutions. This innovative system has been acknowledged as one of the most successful clinical systems within the NHS, due in large part to the focus on engaging with users and understanding their needs.

eSP is used by every local hearing screening programme in England for management and audit. It was the first national clinical system to be rolled out over NHSnet and the first to link to NN4B (NHS Numbers for Babies). It is also used by the Scottish newborn hearing screening service.

eSP went live in England at the start of 2003 and its development continues with new releases on a regular basis.

NHSP Trends

NHSP Trends has been specifically designed for the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme to support effective commissioning and programme management by providing easy access to summary information.

NHSP Trends is an on-line system that allows providers and Directors of Public Health/SHAs to benchmark their performance and monitor improvement over time, compare their services with the national standards, at specific screening site and primary care trust levels and see where they are ranked nationally. Data can be exported enabling the creation of focused reports.

Key performance indicators include:

• Screening coverage
• Total referrals to audiology services
• Time from screen referral to audiological assessment
• Yield