A new cervical screening management system (CSMS) has gone live this morning (24 June), NHS England has confirmed.
It replaces the previous 35-year-old call/recall IT system, Open Exeter, which can now no longer be used to deliver NHS cervical screening programme services. The CSMS will be accessed via an NHS Smartcard.
NHS England guidance has explained that the new system changes the way surgeries receive the list of participants due to be invited for cervical screening (formally known as the Prior Notification list). It also changes how practices can ‘action it to ensure participants are called efficiently and safely’.
GP practices are being asked to log on to the system today and review the notification section to:
- check that the contact email details for Prior Notification Lists (PNLs) are correct (click on ‘manage email’ within notifications section). If incorrect, they are advised to amend it on CSMS, ensuring it’s a generic email contact address.
- check the details of any patients due to be invited for screening and action accordingly.
Deborah Tomalin, director of screening at NHS England, said to ensure a ‘seamless transition’, organisations providing cervical screening services, including GP practices,must check they can access CSMS and complete training on how to use it.
‘After CSMS has gone live, providers should update any internal operating procedures and documentation they have that supports delivery of cervical screening services, to reflect access to and how they use CSMS,’ she added.
Further information and to access the CMS help page can be found here.
QOF includes two indicators for cervical screening worth 11 points under the public health domain.
These include: 80% of people eligible for screening and aged 25-49 years have had an adequate cervical screening test performed in the previous 3 years and 6 months; and 80% of people eligible for screening and aged 50-64 years have had an adequate cervical screening test performed in the previous 5 years and 6 months.
A version of this story was first published by our sister title Healthcare Leader
