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Guidance

Newborn blood spot screening: failsafe solution user guide

How to use the newborn blood spot screening failsafe solution (NBSFS), the national IT system, to minimise risk to babies.

Updates to this page

From:
NHS England
Published:
31 October 2017
Last updated:
11 September 2026
Show all updates

  1. Added section 1.17 on Managing Private Care Newborn Records on NBSFS to the NBSFS operational level agreements for maternity users guidance.

  2. Updated NBSFS new user request form

  3. Removed QA references in Section 1.16 of the Maternity Operating Level Agreement. Clarified this guidance applies to England.

  4. Added an extra attachment about 'what to do if the newborn bloodspot failsafe solution is unavailable'

  5. NBSFS user guide updated, including new flowchart illustration of NBSFS process in accessible format.

  6. Removed sections on failsafe processes between Wales and England and failsafe processes between Scotland and England, as this information is now available within the failsafe IT system.

  7. Update to section 1.4 of the operational level agreements for maternity users.

  8. Added new HTML attachment on the process for trust mergers on the NBSFS.

  9. Added new section in the operational levels agreements for maternity users (section 1.16 - weekly reports for maternity).

  10. Added OLA A3b section to 'NBSFS operational levels agreements for maternity users' and OLA B2b section to 'NBSFS operational level agreements for child health record department users' on confirming deceased status after sample has been received and processed by laboratory.

  11. Added a new section (1.19) in 'NBSFS operational level agreements for laboratory users'.

  12. Removed 3 training guides: cross-border access authorisation form, NBSFS site guide and quick reference guide. Updated ‘NBS failsafe processes between Wales and England’.

  13. Updated user guide, failsafe processes between Wales and England, automated notes, feedback form and record query form to reflect changes introduced following an upgrade to the system.

  14. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

NBSFS user guide

HTML

NBSFS operational level agreements for maternity users

HTML

NBSFS operational level agreements for child health record department users

HTML

NBSFS operational level agreements for laboratory users

HTML

NBSFS record query form

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 46.5 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email england.contactus@nhs.net. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

NBSFS new user request form

ODT, 122 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email england.contactus@nhs.net. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

How records are mapped to NBSFS sites

HTML

NBSFS record notes section guidance

HTML

NBSFS trust mergers process

HTML

What to do if newborn blood spot failsafe solution (NBSFS) is unavailable

ODT, 152 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email england.contactus@nhs.net. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The newborn blood spot screening failsafe solution (NBSFS) is an IT system that minimises the risk of babies missing, or having delayed, newborn blood spot (NBS) screening.

This user guide includes:

  • processes between England and Wales and Scotland
  • forms, for example to request a new user or query a record
  • operational level agreements
  • quick reference guide
  • training guides

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