NHSCSP: Guidelines on Failsafe Actions

ISBN 1 872263 35 6 - published 1992

The value of any screening programme will be diminished if appropriate action is not always taken on the tests with abnormal results. However, smears may be taken in many different situations by many different smear takers. This general statement of responsibility therefore needs to be backed up by failsafe systems to ensure that communication of smear results has occurred and follow up action has been taken.

Despite every endeavour some women will inevitably escape follow up, either because they consciously refuse to have further investigation or because they cannot be traced. Therefore guidelines are needed to define the point when all reasonable action has been taken and the attempts to follow up can cease. These guidelines are examples of good practice and individual purchasers and providers of cervical cytology screening services may choose to modify them according to local circumstances. These guidelines only refer to follow up of women with abnormal smears and not of those with inadequate or negative results.

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NHS Cervical Screening Publications