Resources for Health Professionals

Implementation of Primary HPV testing into the Northern Ireland Cervical Screening Programme 

Key Messages:  The Northern Ireland Cervical Screening Programme will introduce the Primary HPV testing testing pathway from Monday 11th December 2023.  Specimens provided from this date will be tested for the presence of High risk HPV (HrHPV). Samples which test negative for HrHPV will not have cytology and these patients will be returned to routine recall. If a sample tests positive for HrHPV, then cytological examination is the next step to determine which samples contain abnormal cells. Individuals who test positive for HrHPV and for whom abnormal cells are detected will be directly referred to Colposcopy Services to enable clinical assessment. Primary HPV screening will not involve any changes to the clinical procedure for taking the cervical sample.  Please ensure that all cervical sample takers are made aware of these important changes to the programme.

GP Letter templates

These letters are for use by GP practices, when sending out results to women who have had a cervical screening test. Please note that the screening logo should be removed if the wording of the letter is altered.

 

Letter	HPV result	Cytology result	Pathway	Management
1	Negative	–	pHPV	Routine Recall
2	Negative	Negative	Co-testing	Routine Recall
3	Negative	Mod/severe	Co-testing	Referred to Colposcopy
4	Negative	Borderline/mild	Co-testing	Routine Recall
5	Positive	Negative	All	Recall in 12 Months
6	Positive	Mod/Severe/borderline/Mild	All	Referred to Colposcopy
7	Unsuitable	–	All	Repeat in 3 Months
8	Negative	Results letter for backlog HPV	pHPV	Results-letter-for-backlog-pHPV-negative

General resources for the NI Cervical Screening Programme

Cervical Screening Information for Primary Care – December 2024

Template Practice Protocol for Cervical Screening (In process of being updated)

Audit tool for Cervical Screening Sample Takers

• Audit of cervical samples taken in General Practice
• Northern Ireland Training and Audit Requirements for Cervical Sample Takers – document not available as under review 
• A Guide to Understanding Sample Taking Performance Data

 

Cervical Cancer Audit 

• Framework for the Audit of Invasive Cervical Cancers and Disclosure of Findings
• Northern Ireland Cervical Screening Programme Protocol for the Audit of Invasive Cervical Cancers
• AIC Disclosure Record sheet
• Reviewing your Cervical Screening History leaflet
• Reviewing your screening history FAQs

 

Leaflets (link to leaflets hosted on PHA website)

• Cervical Screening: what you should know
• Cervical Screening: the colposcopy examination
• Reviewing your Cervical Screening History

 

Useful resources to make screening more accessible:

• Our patient information videos on what to expect following a cervical screening invitation are currently being revised and will be uploaded here when available. 
• The charity Beyond Words has published a wordless picture story ‘An Easy Guide to Cervical Screening’. Click here to view a copy.

 

Signposting service users to other resources:

PHA Cervical Screening Programme

NI Direct- Cervical Screening 

NI Direct – Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust