Cervical cancer prevention for health professionals

The following policies and guidelines provide guidance on evidence-based best practice for cervical screening in Australia.

• NCSP Policies (external site)
• National Cervical Screening Program: Guidelines for the management of screen-detected abnormalities, screening in specific populations and investigation of abnormal vaginal bleeding (external site)
• National competencies for cervical screening providers (external site) – see Appendix F of the NCSP Quality Framework
• Use of lubricants for cervical screening (PDF 144KB)

Self-collection of vaginal samples for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing (external site) is available under the renewed NCSP. 

Click here to view the NCSP Self-Collection Policy (external site).

Self-collection eligibility criteria: Self-collection can be offered to women who are aged 30 years or older and have either:

• never had a Cervical Screening Test (or Pap smear) or
• are at least two years overdue for cervical screening.

Self-collection may also be considered for eligible women who are pregnant.

Efficacy of a self-collect test: Evidence (external site) demonstrates effective HPV sensitivity of a self-collect test.

Management guidelines for self-collection: View the ‘Self-collected vaginal samples’ chapter (external site) of the NCSP Clinical Guidelines.

Sampling instrument: A flocked swab (Copan FLOQswab 552C – red top) is used to collect the vaginal sample.

Taking the sample: How to take your own HPV test(external site) a guide for women. Self-collection of HPV samples: a guide for GP’s video (external site)

More information and support

In Australia, the processing of self-collected vaginal samples for HPV testing under the NCSP is currently supported through three accredited pathology laboratories. These are:

• VCS Pathology (external site)
• Douglass Hanly Moir (DHM) Pathology (external site)
• Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology (external site)

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. Routine cervical screening (along with the HPV vaccination) provides a woman with the best protection against cervical cancer.

Healthcare providers are encouraged to support cervical screening in the following ways:

• offer opportunistic screening
• participate in NPS MedicineWise online training (external site) and upskill in the National Cervical Screening Program and clinical pathways
• offer self-collection as a screening option to eligible participants
• contact the WACCPP to book a cervical screening education session for themselves or a community group
• conduct a clinical audit of their medical practice to identify patients who are under-screened or have never-screened. To gain support to deliver a quality improvement activity, contact the WACCPP and the WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) (external website) 
• subscribe to the WACCPP ‘Community Cervix Announcement’ newsletter
• get involved with various community-based initiatives such as clinic displays or promotional events and activities.
• view the NCSP resources for health professionals and providers (external site) 
• view the NCSP ‘Toolkit for engaging under-screened and never-screened women' (external site)
• Support women who have experienced trauma to access screening through use of the Sensitive Practice Request (external site) form.