New Zealanders deserve a cervical screening programme that is reliable, safe, equitable and responsive. When barriers to access, delays in care or failures in communication occur women ultimately bear the consequences.
Media have reported that a Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ (HNZ) review of the national cervical cancer screening programme register found widespread and serious problems, likely to have caused screening delays after 968,000 notifications failed to go out.
The national cervical screening programme must acknowledge where it has fallen short and commit to meaningful improvements that restore confidence and prioritise the health, safety, and wellbeing of wāhine across Aotearoa.
The increasing uptake of HPV (human papillomavirus) screening — New Zealand’s primary cervical cancer screening method — is an important success story. Nearly three years on from its introduction on September 12, 2023, national screening coverage has continued to improve across all population groups.
This reflects the strength of HPV primary screening itself and the dedication of the workforce delivering the programme.
However, improved coverage does not negate the concerns identified through this review. The underlying infrastructure, governance decisions, system design, data quality, notification processes and clinical safety mechanisms require urgent attention to ensure the programme functions as intended.
‘Women should not have to fight for a screening programme that works. They should be able to trust that the system designed to protect them will do so effectively, consistently, and equitably.’
It is important to recognise that both clinical and non-clinical staff have worked tirelessly for years behind the scenes to deliver and support the programme. This mahi includes maintaining screening services, training staff, managing an increasingly complex national register as well as supporting women and whānau through their screening journeys.
Many of the issues identified through this public review were already well known to those working within the system. Concerns have been raised through multiple channels over several years and have also featured in previous Parliamentary and independent reviews.
These are not new issues and they warrant ongoing concern and action at the national level.
The programme will only continue to improve by genuinely listening to those who deliver it every day.
Frontline nurses, administrators, regional teams, community providers and navigators bring invaluable experience of what works, what creates barriers, and where opportunities exist to improve access, equity and clinical safety. Their expertise alongside whānau voice should inform system design rather than be constrained by it.
Women should not have to fight for a screening programme that works. They should be able to trust that the system designed to protect them will do so effectively, consistently, and equitably.
‘The programme will only continue to improve by genuinely listening to those who deliver it every day.’
As we move forward following this review, the timely implementation of the recommendations will be a critical first step in driving the system changes that are needed. These improvements must support the delivery of safe, timely, and accessible screening services, ensuring that wāhine remain engaged with screening programmes and can once again have confidence and trust in the system intended to protect their health and future generations.
- Registered nurses Georgia [last name withheld on request] and Nadine Riwai are members of the NZNO women’s health college and work in cervical health.