NEC Health’s Newborn Hearing Screening Initiative Wins HTN Now Award
We’re thrilled to share some fantastic news – NEC Health’s newborn hearing screening team has won the award for Best solution for community care at the HTN Now Awards 2025/26.
This recognition celebrates the team’s incredible work with Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust to tackle health inequalities in newborn hearing screening for migrant families.
Donna Bedford, Local Manager Newborn Hearing Screening – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare, added: “I am delighted that my team are winners in this very important category. The team work incredibly hard to ensure equitable screening across our very diverse population. This isn’t always easy, but they go above and beyond to provide a family friendly service for all. I am very proud of them and this award has made us have the best start to 2026!”
Hearing loss in newborns can profoundly affect speech, language, and social development. Early detection is vital, yet migrant families often face systemic barriers:
- Language and literacy challenges hinder understanding of screening importance
- Transport and financial constraints make hospital visits difficult
- Cultural differences create uncertainty about NHS processes
The Newborn Hearing Screening Inequality Improvement Project used innovative protocols, cultural training and collaborative working to ensure every baby, regardless of background, received timely screening.
Over five years, the initiative achieved zero missed appointments for refugee babies and met the national coverage target of 95%, setting a benchmark for inclusive community care.
The initiative also had benefits for the NHS including:
- Eliminating missed appointment reduced costs for rebooking, follow-up letters and reminder calls
- Screening during inpatient stay avoids additional outpatient clinics and staffing
- Early diagnosis prevents expensive interventions later in life
- Building trust with refugee families
- Boosting staff morale and confidence
- Improving quality of life for babies through timely treatment
Jan Milne, Postnatal Maternity Matron – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, shared: “I never had any doubt – you are all so amazing and dedicated providing such a seamless service. It has always been such a pleasure working with you all during my time as the screening coordinator – I now look forward to continuing this in the postnatal area.”
This recognition is a testament to the power of true partnership and the impact that smart, patient-centred solutions can have in community settings. Huge congratulations to everyone involved.
See the full list of winners and find out more about the initiative on the HTN website.
Find out more about newborn hearing screening
