As you are aware from next Monday December 2, 2019 all cervical screening samples across London will be processed and reported by Cervical Screening London (CSL).
The NHS cervical screening program (NHS CSP) in England is making a significant change by implementing HPV primary screening provided by just nine consolidated laboratories of which Cervical Screening London is the largest. However, it is worth noting that other important aspects of the screening program remain unchanged. These include communication pathways with women, call/recall processes, laboratory direct referral, laboratory failsafe, quality assurance requirements for all elements of the program and statistical monitoring of performance.
This email is provided as a pre go-live summary of relevant information.
The new service has been commissioned by NHS England.
Health Services laboratories (HSL) have been commissioned to provide the primary HPV screening service for London. They will do this under the brand Cervical Screening London (CSL).
This service will commence on Monday December 2, 2019.
Since September, three specific Sample Taker Updates and various other communications providing information on this change have been widely distributed electronically, in hard copy and are also available on the CSL website www.hslpathology.com/csl .
NHSE and some CCGs have also sent communications about this change.
Four face to face sample taker training sessions were run on November 11, 2019 and November 20, 2019 with almost 400 attendees and the presentation slides from these meetings are now also available on the CSL webpage www.hslpathology.com/csl .
Colposcopy and secondary referral centre specific communications have been sent and are also available on the website www.hslpathology.com/csl .
To best prepare for this change, each practice should have connected to CSL to receive electronic results and order tests using tQuest order comms.
Despite our best efforts, connection for both requesting and return of results to all 1600 sample takers is unlikely to be complete by the tight December 2, 2019 deadline. Electronic result delivery has been the first priority however tQuest order comms connection for EMIS users has now commenced. The CSL IT team are also preparing for SystmOne and Vision users to access tQuest order Comms.
Currently about 75-80% of practices, including existing HSL/TDL sample taker sites and new sites who have connected to CSL, will be able to receive reports electronically on December 2, 2019.
Over the past few weeks CSL IT staff and CCGs have been actively contacting practices who are not yet connected and this has been very successful. However, for those practices still not connected by December 2, 2019, reports will be sent via email (if a valid secure email address has been supplied) and/or in paper format delivered by post.
Active measures to connect practices will continue beyond December 2, 2019 to ensure all practices are successfully connected as soon as possible.
REPORT IS RECEIVED. THEY MUST FOLLOW UP WITH THE LABORATORY IF THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESULT
All primary care and secondary referral sites must have robust failsafe procedures in-line with NHSCSP guidelines see:
Practices were asked to provide user details by completing and returning an Excel form that was distributed electronically with Sample Taker Update 3. It is also available on our website www.hslpathology.com/csl. Once CSL has uploaded this information, a step-by-step user activation guide, which is specific to your practice management system, will be emailed to each practice together with a tQuest user guide to assist with ordering from CSL.
If practices are not yet connected they will need to manually complete an HMR101 request form available at https://www.mtw.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Open-Exeter-Blank-Form.pdf
Active measures to connect practices will continue post December 2, 2019 to ensure all practices are successfully connected as soon as possible.
Electronic connection to colposcopy clinics and secondary referral centres is more complicated and will not be available on December 2, 2019.
As an interim solution, colposcopy and secondary referral centres will need to manually complete an HMR101 request form available at
https://www.mtw.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Open-Exeter-Blank-Form.pdf.
Reports will be delivered by email.
NHSE and CSL will continue to work with Trusts to scope and deliver an electronic solution for London as soon as practicable.
Sample taker supply kits have been sent to all practices.
If you have not received a kit please contact hpv.supplies@hslpathology.com or call 020 7307 9440 for an urgent delivery.
If for some reason you do not receive your supplies in time for your first cervical screening sample collection on or after December 2, 2019, you can use any ThinPrep vial (within expiry date) that you have on-site and any existing sample bags for packing.
TDL Collect couriers will pick up samples from all sites across London.
During the past week they have been calling into practices to introduce themselves. They have also provided practices with a barcoded practice identification card to fix at the sample pick up point to facilitate tracking of the barcoded labelled sample transport bags provided in the supply kits from their site to CSL.
Collections will be daily on weekdays for practices collecting high volumes of cervical screening samples and every second weekday for smaller volume sites. Pick-ups can be adjusted post transition if required by contacting lsc@tdlpathology.com or phoning 020 7307 7373.
HPV primary screening has proven to be effective in identifying more high grade cervical disease than cytology based screening. It is a more sensitive test that, together with HPV vaccination, will provide improved health outcomes for the women of London.
We understand this is a big change for everyone and may involve some changes to your established work practices and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience and support during this important transition.
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