Guidance

Breast screening: guidance for clinical nurse specialists

This sets out the standards of practice for clinical nurse specialists working in the NHS breast screening programme.

• From: NHS England
• Published: 28 January 2019
• Last updated: 29 July 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Clinical nurse specialists in breast screening

Ref: PHE publications gateway number: GW-106

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Appendix 1: Breast screening clinical nurse specialist mandatory requirements

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Appendix 2: CNS assessment and referral record

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Appendix 3: NHS BSP assessment questionnaire letter and survey template

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Appendix 4: assessment pathway

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Details

This publication details:

• the role of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) in breast screening
• arrangements for quality assurance
• a protocol for assessing performance
• information on the nursing extended role and advanced practitioner role

Published 28 January 2019

Last updated 29 July 2025 + show all updates

1. 29 July 2025

   Changed lead organisation from Public Health England to NHS England.

2. 16 December 2019

   Updated guidance in sections 1.3 (women should leave the assessment clinic with an appointment for their biopsy results), and 2.3 (nursing course requirement changed from 20 credits to 15 credits).

3. 28 January 2019

   First published.