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Cervical screening: professional guidance

Standards and guidance for healthcare professionals, managers and commissioners working in the NHS cervical screening programme.

Updates to this page

From:
NHS England and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
Published:
1 February 2004
Last updated:
14 May 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updating link to cervix chart (now hosted on Futures).

  2. Added guidance in collection

  3. Correct error in first paragraph, Section 4.6 [even if colposcopy was normal]

  4. Addition to collection of Cervical screening: ideas for improving access and uptake

  5. Added 'Cervical screening: care pathway' and 'Cervical screening pathway requirements specification'.

  6. Added link to 'Cervical screening: support for people who find it hard to attend'.

  7. Addition of 'cervical screening: disclosure of audit toolkit' to the audit section.

  8. Added link to cervical screening programme data document collection, containing the NHS Cervical Screening Programme invasive cervical cancer audits.

  9. Added Cervical screening: laboratory HPV testing and cytology services document.

  10. Added 'Cervical screening: pathway for acceptance of new HPV tests'.

  11. Added new guidance on primary HPV screening implementation.

  12. Added new guidance: the role of the cervical screening provider lead.

  13. Added supporting women with learning disabilities guidance to primary care section.

  14. Added programme specific operating model.

  15. Added Cervical screening: cervical sample taker training.

  16. Added National external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for the preparation and staining of cervical liquid based cytology samples: scheme protocol.

  17. Added Cervical screening: training to use a new cytology system.

  18. Added Cervical screening: gynaecological cytopathology external quality assessment to the collection.

  19. First published.

Programme pathway

Liquid based cytology (LBC)

Programme management

Audit

The document collection on cervical screening programme data contains the NHS Cervical Screening Programme invasive cervical cancer audits.

Laboratory standards and quality assurance

Colposcopy equipment reports

Primary care

Cervix chart for sample takers

A chart for sample takers, designed to be printed out and used by healthcare professionals taking cervical screening samples. Available here.

Primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening

Primary HPV screening is currently being implemented across the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

Professionals involved in delivering primary HPV screening should use these guidance documents.

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