PHE Screening is pleased to announce the publication of our new guidance, ‘Cervical screening call and recall: a guide to administration best practice’. This is a comprehensive revision of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme Good Practice Guide No.18, published in 2017.
We identified the need to update the guidance following developments in the programme. These included the roll out of primary HPV screening and the transfer of administration functions to the NHS Cervical Screening Administration Service (CSAS).
We developed the content in line with programme requirements. It clearly sets out the expectations of the call and recall service, including:
- details of the call and recall function
- programme governance
- information governance principles
- informed choice and consent
- eligibility inclusion criteria
- prior notification lists
- invitations, reminders and non-responders
- sample process and reporting
Call and recall process featured in the new guidance
The guidance covers the call and recall pathway in detail. It describes the call and recall cycle from identifying individuals eligible for cervical screening through to the management of abnormal results.
The National Health Application and Infrastructure Service (NHAIS) is due to be replaced with a new call and recall IT system. The updated guidance was developed with this in mind. We’ve worked to future proof the guidance as much as possible.
If your work is associated with cervical screening, and especially with call and recall, then this updated guidance is highly relevant. It will be of particular interest to:
- GP practice staff
- call and recall service staff
- laboratory staff
- cervical screening programme leads
- screening and immunisation teams within NHS England
Collective hard work
Leading this project was a development opportunity for me and drew on my knowledge of call and recall services. It was a pleasure for me to work with some former colleagues to lead on the updating of the call and recall guidance.
We would like to thank the call and recall task and finish group, with representation from PHE, NHS Digital, CSAS, NHS England and NHS Improvement. They have tirelessly reviewed and updated the guidance and sought further expert advice as necessary.
PHE Screening blog
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