Cervical Cytology / HPV Screening

Sample Collection

The specimen should be taken as described in the handbook for Healthcare Professionals Taking Cervical Screening Tests supplied to smear takers by NSD. Other boards should follow their normal smear taking protocol. The collected specimen should then be rinsed out into a Hologic™ Thin Prep Pap Test (LBC) specimen vial.

Please ensure the vial is within the date specified. If it is out of date then it must not be used.

Requests for cervical smears should be generated electronically at the smear taker location using the Scottish Cervical Call and Recall computer system (SCCRS). If your patient is awaiting IVF please note this in the Clinical Comments box and the sample will be prioritized. The vial should be appropriately labelled using the bar coded SCCRS label and sent to the laboratory.

Each LBC sample should be placed in a clear polythene bag and sent to the laboratory in the appropriate White Cervical Cytology Samples Only (LBC) bag (NHSGGC) and accompanied with a Specimen Dispatch note.

Sample takers from other health boards should use their respective collection bags and tracker sheets as appropriate. Samples are then transferred on to the local ‘hub’ for forwarding to the lab in NHSGGC using the provided DX courier and collection/delivery bags.

In exceptional circumstances cervical smear samples can be sent to the laboratory accompanied by a paper request form. Smear takers who send paper requests with the sample to the laboratory must use the official SCCRS Cervical Cytopathology Request Form.

Smear takers must give a reason as to why a paper request was sent, such as SCCRS not working at smear taker location  

Contacts

The Cervical Cytology Department aims to provide the best possible diagnostic service. Should you have a general/technical enquiry or comments about any aspect of the service please contact:

Gillian Collins: 0141 354 (8)9501

Laboratory: 0141 354 (8)9542

Please click here for more information on the national screening programme