19/06/2023
New changes to cervical screening (smear test/Pap smear)
Looking after your reproductive health may be the most important thing you do this year. If you’re 25 to 70, this information is for you
Don’t leave it up to chance. Prevent cancer from starting in the first place
This information is for anyone who has a cervix, regardless of their gender or how they present.
In a nutshell. On 26th July 2023, smear testing is changing.
Smears have previously been taken by a nurse or Dr every three years from the age of 25 to 70. Some women* have them more frequently for many reasons.
This has been done by coming in to see us in practice, lying down and having a speculum inserted into your va**na and a scratchy tissue sample taken of the cervix, which is the entrance to your uterus (womb). This test is called a liquid based cytology test (LBC).
This can be a procedure which some women can find unnerving, invasive and uncomfortable. We understand that and we do everything we can to make it as comfortable as possible. This type of examination and test can be a huge barrier for women having the smear test, this will hopefully mean more people are able to participate in cervical screening and reduce their risk of cancer.
From late July, 2023 the way we do smear tests will now be done by a simple swab for most women. This can be done by yourself or a nurse. The result will come back a week later indicating that:
HPV is not detected. Your next HPV test will be in 5 years.
HPV 16 or 18 is detected. You will be referred to the colposcopy unit. The nurse will do this and you will receive a letter from the hospital.
HPV (other) is detected. You will need to come back to see the nurse for a speculum examination and we will take a tissue sample of your cervix (LBC) and send that to the lab again. Depending on the results, we will either refer you to the colposcopy unit, or ask you to come back in 12 months for a repeat LBC + HPV test. There is an additional small charge for this. Most infections from HPV (other) clear on their own within 2 years.
Test is unsuitable for testing. This means that there are no skin cells on the swab. This is highly unlikely to occur if the swab is inserted even very superficially into the va**na.
The swab will test for the presence of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which is the virus that causes the vast majority of cervical cancers in the world. This virus can be picked up by the laboratory on the sample you take and that means that we will see that virus and treat it before it has a chance to turn into cancer.
Taking the test
When you are due for your smear, from 26th July, we will text you as we normally do. The text will be different, and it will outline the new test and procedure. Everyone will need to call us and book in. If coming in is not possible, please call the nurse to talk about it. We can, in some cases send the sample to you with instructions to do it at home and send it back to us for processing.
The nurse will need to have a conversation with you about the new test and obtain your consent. Most of the time, you will be able to do the test by yourself in our toilet and hand the test to the nurse who will ensure it gets to the laboratory and is tested. This is a really simple test to do and takes about one minute. If you want any Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing, let the nurse know and we will give you additional swabs to use.
There are a couple of reasons why the swab test may not be suitable for you.
If you have any abnormal va**nal bleeding or discharge, pain when you have s*x, or pelvic pain we will need to ask you to come in and we will do the smear in the normal way using LBC. Our nurses are all highly trained and very compassionate, especially when it comes to intimate examinations. We all understand that it’s a hard thing to do with a very private area of your body. If you would like to talk to us first about your options, we are more than happy to.
If you are on a ‘test of cure’ pathway following a colposcopy or high-grade cervical changes, you will need to have a LBC smear.
Important points to consider:
HPV testing is safe during pregnancy and from 6 weeks following birth.
If you have never been s*xually active, please talk to the nurse. You will still probably need cervical screening for HPV as it can be transmitted not just through s*xual in*******se. Intimate touch and kissing can also result in infection.
You can do this test at any time during your monthly cycle, but it is best to avoid doing it on the heaviest day of your period.
If HPV is found, it does not mean that you have a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and it doesn’t mean that you’ve got it from a recent partner. HPV can lay dormant (sort of sleeping) for many years in your body, and it can reactivate (awaken again) even after it has gone away which is why ongoing screening is very important.
Cervical screening with HPV testing is still very important even if you have had the HPV vaccinations because there are many different subtypes of HPV that aren’t covered by the vaccine.
HPV testing is still appropriate for people who do not identify as women but if you have a cervix, then you should have your cervical screening done.
If you have never had any intimate relations with a male-presenting person, and only had intimate relations with a person with a cervix, you still need cervical screening. There is a common misconception that le****ns or women who have s*x with women do not need cervical screening, this is not true. Cervical screening should be undertaken by any person with a cervix.
For the purposes of this document, the term ‘woman’ means any person who has a cervix or va**na, regardless of how they present or their identified gender
Page last updated: 11.06.2023
For more information, please speak to the nursing team at Hauora Health on 03 548 8663 or go online at
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