Updated guidelines for cervical screening in New Zealand are now available.  These guidelines replace the 1999 Guidelines for the management of women with abnormal cervical smears, and incorporate key National Cervical Screening Programme policies such as recommendations as to the age to start screening, how often to screen and when to stop.

The Guidelines for Cervical Screening in New Zealand incorporate results of an extensive review of evidence together with expert advice from a wide range of medical practitioners, epidemiologists and consumer representatives.  

Major changes in the guidelines include:

• the recall period for ‘low-grade’ abnormalities
• more detailed guidance regarding colposcopy and follow-up care
• an expanded section for management of women with special clinical circumstances
• the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing (fully integrated into the guidelines by late 2009).

The introduction of these guidelines has been planned to coincide with the go-live date of the new National Cervical Screening Programme Register.  This essential database stores the screening histories (cervical smears, colposcopy, histology and HPV results) of women who participate in the Programme, facilitating recall of women and monitoring of Programme performance.

The development and revision of the guidelines is an ongoing process that incorporates new evidence as this becomes available.  The National Cervical Screening Programme will continue to monitor and evaluate the changes being implemented and will introduce further updates as and when required.

In this regard we will be specifically examining new evidence on the use of HPV testing, in particular with respect to the management of women with glandular lesions.

Please send any comments or queries about the Guidelines to Dr Hazel Lewis hazel_lewis@moh.govt.nz

Guidelines for Cervical Screening in New Zealand 2008

Guidelines for Cervical Screening in New Zealand
Incorporating the Management of Women with Abnormal Cervical Smears

Guidance on HPV Testing Update 1: April 2010

This is the first in an ongoing series of updates of the Guidelines for Cervical Screening in New Zealand (2008).

Guidance on HPV Testing Update 1  

Ordering the Guidelines

Hard copies of the guidelines and separate flowcharts will be sent to key stakeholders shortly.  Further hard copies of the guidelines and separate flowcharts can be ordered from October 2008 through Wickliffe ph. 04 496 2277 or email moh@wickliffe.co.nz. For laboratory staff, colposcopy unit staff and smear takers, the guidelines are accompanied by separate sets of flowcharts, so please indicate your professional group, or if these are not required.

Training Presentations on the Guidelines

These PowerPoint presentations are designed to assist with training on the key changes in the guidelines and are for use at any relevant upcoming training sessions.These presentations have a slightly different focus, one aimed at a smear-taker audience, the other for colposcopists. Note that the presentations contain slide notes with additional explanation (View/notes pages in the PowerPoint toolbar).

Presentation for Colposcopists

Presentation for Smear Takers

Resources

NCSP- Register Data Analysis (used in the development of the guidelines)

HPV Testing: Smear Taker Responsibilities Fact Sheet

HPV testing: smear taker responsibilities (opens new page)

HPV and HPV Testing Fact Sheet for Women

HPV and HPV Testing Fact Sheet for Women (opens new page)