Published November 2009
The Cancer Reform Strategy made a promise to 'ensure that all women receive the results of their cervical screening tests within two weeks by 2010'.
The ScHARR report (Feb 2006) highlighted that with minimal investment it was possible to deliver the service to 50-66 per cent of women within seven days with the remainder receiving their result within 14 days.
In 2006 the Review of Pathology Services in England by Lord Carter endorsed Lean as the method of choice for improving processes in pathology services. Working in partnership with the NHS Cervical Screening Programme, NHS Improvement supported ten pilot sites to test the Lean methodology to demonstrate how to deliver a two week service.
The approach involved bringing multi-disciplinary teams from primary care, laboratories and recall agencies together to work collaboratively on the whole pathway. Staff were trained in Lean methodology, applied the learning, redesigned their own service and delivered significant improvements in productivity.
This guide shows how the 14 day standard can be achieved.
- NHSCSP home page
- Programme publications
- About cervical screening
- More information about the
screening programme- Information about cervical cancer
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposed women
- Liquid Based Cytology (LBC)
- LBC implementation guidance
- Who does what in the programme
- Quality Assurance and Training
- Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001
- Cervical cytology training centres
- Human Papilloma virus (HPV)
- HPV Sentinel Sites implementation project
- HMR101 Request/Report Form
- Cytology improvement guide - 14 day turnaround time
- Research in cervical screening
- Frequently asked questions
- Programme statistics
- Programme news index
- Useful links