Homepage Introduction Latest News Primary Care Contact Us QA Timetable QA Contact List Papers & Publications Search Useful Links The National Call/Recall System for Cervical Screening System Is based on a cyclical pattern of call and recall notifications designed to ensure that the maximum number of women deemed at risk receive cervical screening. Invites women for smear tests on either a three or five yearly basis, depending on age. Sends a Prior Notification List to GPs before notifications are sent out giving the opportunity for review. Prevents invitations being issued to women who may have been deducted or who are undergoing medical treatment. Invites women for smear tests by locality. Records results and recall information for all tests, and calculates recall dates automatically. May postpone non-urgent recalls because, for example, the laboratory may have a back-log of work. May cancel recall because a woman will have reached upper age limit, eg. 65 by next due test date (last two tests were negative). Recalls patients who are due for early repeat smears (i.e. at a shorter recall interval than for normal results). Controls access to the data to ensure confidentiality and security. Allows automatic production of notification and results to the specifications of each district. Screening Statistics Cervical Screening statistics reflect locally agreed requirements and are a valuable tool in assessment and target analysis. Statistics may be produced showing totals at different levels, eg - by district or by GP Practice. Several categories (or suites) of statistics are available: KC53 Returns - statutory information required annually by the Department of Health. Workload and Sender Returns - total number of smears and their results, compiled by Laboratory, district or Sender, providing information on different aspects of the screening programme. Ad-hoc - user definable statistics download. Quality Assurance in Cervical screening- the national picture The NHSCSP published national quality assurance guidelines for the cervical screening programme in 1996, and has developed a comprehensive system of quality assurance throughout the country. The regional structure for quality assurance should include: A quality assurance reference centre to coordinate professional activity, statistical returns and liase with national activities. A quality assurance director for cervical screening The identification of lead professionals to oversee coordination of audit in each area of professional activity in the cervical screening programme The review of the performance of the screening programme against national quality standards Participation in E.Q.A. (External Quality Assessment) schemes The development of training programmes within the region and support of training efforts in each laboratory and regional cytology training schools Liaising with regional cancer registries to identify and audit cases of invasive cervical cancer to evaluate the effectiveness of the screening programme National and Regional Co-ordinating Groups Regional quality assurance co-ordinating groups have been established. Each region is represented on the national groups which are being set up for each of the four main areas of activity in the cervical screening programme. Three groups have already been established to cover health authority activities, laboratories and colposcopy. A group for primary care will soon follow Their purpose is to: Set quality assurance standards Monitor and review performance against these quality assurance standards Identify training needs and advise on how they should be met Identify research needs advise the programme on professional matters