Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what review it will undertake into the use of the newborn heel prick blood test to screen for childhood dementia.
Scotland relies on advice from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group which informs decisions across the UK on national screening programmes. Only when it considers whether to recommend screening for a particular condition, the UK NSC has to consider a range of criteria, appraising the viability, effectiveness and appropriateness of a population screening programme. Only once it is satisfied that screening for a particular condition meets its criteria, and the evidence shows that the benefits of screening outweigh any potential harms, will the committee announce a positive recommendation.
The UK NSC has previously considered some genetic conditions, including Metachromatic leukodystrophy, that may lead to severe neurodegeneration in children, often referred to as ‘Childhood Dementia’. A full list of considered conditions, and whether screening for them is recommended, can be found here. To date, the UK NSC has not recommended screening for the genetic conditions that can cause ‘Childhood Dementia’. However, should the UK NSC make a positive recommendation for screening for one or more of these genetic conditions the Scottish Government will take advice on how best to implement any recommendations.
The UK NSC also welcomes proposals to consider new conditions for screening. These can be submitted to the UK NSC during their annual open call for topics. The next open call will be between 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026, and guidance regarding submitting a proposal can be found here.