NCSP - Pathology Workforce Update
Newsletter of the National Cervical Screening Program Pathology Workforce Project
Welcome to the first issue of the NCSP
Pathology Workforce Update. This regular
Newsletter will provide information, resources and
Project updates for Cytologists throughout the
transition to the renewed National Cervical Screening
Program.
THE RENEWED NATIONAL CERVICAL
SCREENING PROGRAM
As part of the 2015-16 Commonwealth Budget the
Australian Government accepted the Medical
Services
Advisory
Committee’s
(MSAC)
recommendation to change the National Cervical
Screening Program (NCSP) and replace the twoyearly Pap test with five-yearly primary HPV tests.
This change is to occur from 1 May 2017.
Following a comprehensive review of the current
evidence for cervical screening, MSAC has
recommended for both HPV vaccinated and
unvaccinated women that:




an HPV test should be undertaken every five
years
cervical screening should commence at 25
years of age
women should have an exit test between 70
and 74 years of age
women with symptoms (including pain or
bleeding) can have a cervical test at any
age.
ABOUT THE NCSP PATHOLOGY WORKFORCE
PROJECT
Recognising the impact upon Cytologists of these
changes to the NCSP, the Australian Government
has committed resources to providing support for the
pathology workforce and has appointed the Royal
College of Pathologists of Australasia to manage a
Pathology Workforce Project to:




NCSP PATHOLOGY WORKFORCE
PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The implementation of the changes to the NCSP is
being overseen by the Steering Committee for the
Renewal Implementation Project (SCRIP) which
meets regularly. SCRIP is responsible for managing:





The development of clinical management
guidelines for the renewed NCSP;
Revised National Pathology Accreditation
Advisory Council performance measures
and standards for cytology and HPV testing;
Transition Plan for women already
participating in the current program;
Workforce planning; and
Self-sample collection for under- and neverscreened women.
Develop and deliver on-line liquid based
cytology training to complement existing
training resources;
Work with the Australian Society of
Cytology to ensure appropriate educational
resources for diagnostic liquid based
gynaecological cytology are available to
new cytologists;
Provide support for existing cytologists
through the provision of Transition Services
and Support to complement employerbased programs; and
Undertake regular communication activities
to inform the pathology workforce of the
changes to the NCSP


Steering Committee convened – the
Pathology Workforce Change Steering
Committee met for the first time in midNovember 2015 and again in midDecember. The Steering Committee has
representation from all sectors of the
cytology workforce and will provide guidance
and support to the Project Management
Team in delivering the workforce changes
under this Project.
Contacting laboratories - the Project Officer
will be contacting laboratories around
Australia as a priority to determine the
nature and extent of the workforce support
resources that are needed.
Website – currently under construction for
release in early 2016. This section of the
RCPA website will provide information and
resources
for
cytologists
and
cytopathologists affected by these changes.
Issue 1 | December 2015
Page 1
NCSP - Pathology Workforce Update
Newsletter of the National Cervical Screening Program Pathology Workforce Project
NCSP NEWS
Clinical management guidelines
Cancer Council Australia has been commissioned by
the Department of Health to develop Clinical
Management Guidelines for the Prevention of
Cervical Cancer. The new Guidelines will supersede
the 2005 National Health and Medical Research
Council Screening to Prevent Cervical Cancer:
Guidelines for the Management of Asymptomatic
Women with Screen Detected Abnormalities. They
are being developed according to National Health
and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guideline
development standards by a working party chaired
by Prof Ian Hammond and A/Prof Marion Saville.
This Working Party has met twice since it was
established, and the evidence review and modelling
evaluation has been undertaken. The Working Party
next meet in January 2016 to discuss the final draft
recommendation and a public consultation process is
anticipated to occur in early 2016.
NCSP Renewal and Medicare
Development of the new Medicare Benefits Schedule
(MBS) Item Numbers and Descriptors for cervical
screening tests is now underway. Confirmation of
these Items will provide laboratories with the data
they need for operational planning and service
delivery.
NCSP Partner Reference Group
The Department of Health maintains a Partner
Reference Group newsletter to update Partners
regarding the progress of the Renewal. If you would
like to join the mailing list for this publication, please
contact the Cervical Renewal Taskforce via email
CervicalRenewal@health.gov.au
National Cancer Screening Register
The Australian Government released a request for
tender for the National Cancer Screening Register
which closed in October 2015 and the Tender
Evaluation Process has begun. The National Cancer
Screening Register will service both the national
bowel and cervical screening programmes and work
has commenced on the legislative requirements for
the implementation of the new Register, including a
privacy impact statement.
CONTACTING THE NCSP PATHOLOGY
WORKFORCE PROJECT TEAM
National Pathology Accreditation Advisory
Council (NPAAC) Standards
A technical drafting committee, chaired by Associate
Professor Paul McKenzie, has been established to
draft the NPAAC performance measures and
standards for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing
and cytology. The Cervical Screening Drafting
Committee has met twice since it was established
and it is anticipated a draft document will be released
for public consultation in the first half of 2016.
An important part of the NCSP Pathology Workforce
Project is to provide cytologists with up to date
information of the renewed NCSP and the resources
that are available to them during the transition period.
The Project Team are also very interested to hear
from both laboratories and individual cytologists
about the impact the planned changes will have.
For information and to provide your input, please
contact Gillian Phillips, Project Officer, at RCPA:
mobile + 61 4 4779 7195
email gillianp@rcpa.edu.au
switch +61 2 8356 5858
fax +61 2 8356 5828 |
website www.rcpa.edu.au
Issue 1 | December 2015
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