Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers with most cervical cancers occurring in people who have never screened or do not screen regularly (1). This Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, encourage your patients to complete a Cervical Screening Test.
Ask them: when was their last test?
Cervical Screening Saves Lives
Replacing the Pap test in 2017, the Cervical Screening Test looks for human papillomavirus (HPV). This virus can lead to cell changes in your cervix and causes almost all cervical cancers.
Regular screening tests is the best way to protect your patients. The test detects the presence of HPV so that it can be monitored or investigated further if needed.
The number of people developing cervical cancer has decreased significantly since the program began in 1991.
Who Should get a Cervical Screening Test
Patients should be encouraged to receive a test if they:
- Are aged between 25 and 74
- are sexually active
- Are a woman or person with a cervix
Patients should get a Cervical Screening Test every 5 years
More information about who should get a cervical test is available
More Support and Information for Health Professionals
WentWest supports GPs with a range of primary care quality improvement activities. To ensure their patients with a cervix are screened for cervical cancer. This includes:
- Assistance identifying patients who are due or overdue for screening
- Support to implement recall and reminder systems for due and/or overdue women
- Practice visits to assist with education and/or set-up item numbers, cervical screening PIP information and recording cervical screening tests in medical software
- Providing patient information resources
Western Sydney health professionals can also access Cervical Screening pathways on Western Sydney HealthPathways website. To gain access to contact our HealthPathways team at healthpathways@wentwest.com.au or call 8811 7100.