In February 2018, Queensland’s Chief Health Officer distributed a Public Health Alert encouraging GPs to continue to remind eligible women to have their Cervical Screening Test when they are next due. This alert was due to delays in the new National Cancer Screening Register becoming fully operational.
These delays continue and have now necessitated that the Queensland Pap Smear Register recommence sending reminders to women who are overdue or who have had abnormal/unsatisfactory results. Reminders recommenced the week of 19 March 2018 and will continue until the Queensland Pap Smear Register has transitioned to the National Cancer Screening Register, which is expected to occur in mid-2018.
Please continue to remind eligible women to have their Cervical Screening Test when they are due (for most women aged 25-74 years this is two years after their last Pap test or from the age of 25 if they have never screened) and follow up all abnormalities according to the National Cervical Screening Program’s new clinical guidelines. Women who are currently under clinical management for a cervical abnormality should be managed according to the recommendations on transitioning women in the Program’s new clinical guidelines.
For more information about the program please go to www.cancerscreening.gov.au/cervical or phone 13 15 56. For screening histories taken prior to 1 December 2017 contact the Queensland Pap Smear Register on 1800 777 790 and for results taken post 1 December 2017 please contact the National Cancer Screen Register on 1800 627 701.