Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable – but screening is vital. Around 70 per cent of Australian women who develop cervical cancer do not get screened regularly as recommended, or have never been screened.
Women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 74 years of age are invited to have a Cervical Screening Test every 5 years through their healthcare provider.
Anyone who is eligible for cervical screening should be offered the choice of either a self-collected vaginal sample or a clinician-collected sample from the cervix. A self-collected sample is taken from the vagina (not the cervix) and is tested for the presence of HPV. Recent evidence shows a Cervical Screening Test using a self-collected sample is as accurate in detecting HPV as a clinician-collected sample taken from the cervix during a speculum examination.
Role of General Practice
As a health professional in a general practice, you are ideally placed to introduce, discuss the topic of and undertake cervical screening. 85% of cervical screening in NSW is performed in General Practice. Cervical Screening tests may also be completed at Community/Women’s Health Centres, Family Planning Centres, Sexual Health Clinics, Aboriginal Medical Service and Specialist Clinics. GPs can integrate their software with the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) to access the most up to date screening results for their patients.
CESPHN can work with practices to ensure eligible patients are screened by:
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