FOR PRACTICE MANAGERS AND CERVICAL SCREENING SAMPLE TAKERS: CHANGES TO THE CERVICAL SCREENING PROGRAMME
Devon and Cornwall
Communications were sent out on the 3rd of September 2019 by the Head of Public Health Commissioning, NHS England and NHS Improvement – South West to confirm that the processing and reporting of all cervical screening samples taken in your practice will transfer to Severn Pathology, North Bristol NHS Trust.
This change will be effective for all samples taken on and after the 18th March 2020 onwards for all practices in Devon and Cornwall.
All cervical samples sent to Severn Pathology will undergo testing for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in the first instance (HPV primary screening). The result of the HPV test determines whether or not cytology testing is also carried out.
Cervical Screening Requests – Open Exeter
Please be aware of the following changes in the requesting process which may require action for your practice:
Electronic requesting systems (including ICE and other order communications platforms) will no longer be used for cervical screening samples. Any practices currently using electronic requesting for cervical screening requests will have this functionality switched off from the date of service transfer. Any electronic requesting currently used for other pathology requests will remain unchanged.
All sample takers will require access to Open Exeter and should request access from their practice manager if they do not currently have it.
A guide to using Open Exeter for this purpose is attached to this communication.
Electronic Reporting of Cervical Screening Results
Cervical screening results will be sent electronically from Severn Pathology, North Bristol NHS Trust to all GP practice clinical systems.
There may be a period of a few days where you will receive reports from both the new and previous provider on different patients.
Direct Referrals from the Laboratory to Colposcopy
Direct referrals will be made from the laboratory at Severn Pathology, North Bristol NHS Trust following the service transfer but practices will not notice any change in the referral process. Your patients will continue to be referred to the same colposcopy clinic as previously.
Sample Taker Consumables
Severn Pathology will be requesting that all cervical screening samples be transported in new bags which will have orange swirls with a white outline. The bags will be provided with the sample taker consumable kits. Existing kits and bags can be used up before switching over. The current arrangements in place for requesting sample taker kits will remain unchanged until further notice.
Sample Transport
Existing arrangements are expected to remain for the collection of cervical screening samples from practices for onward delivery to Bristol from a network of local hubs which will be a mixture of existing and newly created collection points. You will be notified if this changes.
For more information please see:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cervical-screening-professional-guidance
Or speak to your cervical screening sample taker training lead.
For ALL laboratory queries please contact the Cytology department at Severn Pathology on 0117 414 9810.
Katherine Hunt, Lead Biomedical Scientist, Cytology
Dr Karin Denton, Lead Cytopathologist
Website: https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/severn-pathology/pathology-services/cellular-pathology/cytology
CERVICAL SCREENING REQUESTS – OPEN EXETER GUIDE
All cervical screening sample requests will need to be made via Open Exeter using the pre-populated HMR101 (editable) printed request form.
Sample taker PIN codes and clinical details should be typed into the relevant boxes, which will eliminate issues for the laboratory with hand-written forms.
Once the HMR101 request form is complete, please ensure you print the A4 PDF version directly from Open Exeter.
1.Enter patient’s NHS number:
2. On top left hand corner click on HMR101 editable form:
3. Type sample taker PIN code and enter clinical details:
4. Select A4 PDF:
5. Click Open and a PDF version of the pre-populated request form with typed sample taker PIN code and clinical history will open.
6. Click print from the Open Exeter form menu
There will be no changes to sample taker PIN ID’s – please continue to use existing PINs when requested cervical screening tests.
Please obtain new PIN IDs from your usual source.
