Researchers are calling on healthcare providers to share their experiences with self-collection for cervical screening.
Australian clinicians are being asked to share their experience with self-collection cervical screening as researchers explore whether more flexible access models could help lift participation and close persistent screening gaps.
The call comes from the team behind Supporting Choice for Cervical Screening, a NHMRC-funded program led through the University of Sydney that has been examining how self-collection can be implemented in ways that genuinely improve access, equity and participation.
Since 2023 the program has conducted interviews with clinicians and screening-eligible people across Australia, alongside national surveys of both groups, to better understand how the self-collection option is being used and what barriers remain.
The first round of surveys was completed before the federal government launched national education and promotional campaigns about self-collection, providing researchers with a baseline snapshot of awareness, attitudes and clinical practice.
Researchers have now launched a second round of national surveys to determine what has changed following the campaign and what challenges clinicians still face when integrating self-collection into routine care.
Early findings from the community survey showed strong interest in more flexible screening pathways, including the ability to order a self-collection kit for home use or collect one without booking a clinic appointment.
Project co-lead, Associate Professor Megan Smith, a principal research fellow
with the University of Sydney’s Cancer Elimination Collaboration, said she hoped the project would lead to maximising the effectiveness of the relatively new screening option.
“We’re nearing the end of a few years of work, and it’s really about drawing together a lot of information,” she said.
“We now have a universal option for people to use self-collection, but we want to make sure that’s working well for everyone and that it actually supports increased participation, rather than people simply switching from one screening method to another.”
She said earlier national surveys had shown self-collection uptake was growing but that some clinicians had reported barriers including limited training and uncertainty about how to implement the option.
“People who weren’t using it yet indicated things like lack of training or confidence,” Professor Smith said.
“So, since the major national government-funded campaign, we’re keen to see whether that’s changed over time.”
Initial survey results also suggested many screening-eligible people were interested in alternative pathways that did not require a GP appointment.
“These flexible models essentially mean you don’t necessarily have to make an appointment at a clinic to get screened,” Professor Smith said.
“You might be able to order a kit online, pick one up from a clinic without an appointment, or collect one through a pathology provider.”
Participants in the survey cited convenience, cost pressures and difficulty accessing a trusted provider as key reasons for wanting greater flexibility.
“With GP shortages becoming more pronounced in parts of Australia and concerns about cost or time delaying some healthcare visits, people told us these models could help make screening easier to access,” Professor Smith said.
She said clinician perspectives would be critical in determining whether such models could be implemented safely and effectively.
“The key question now is what GPs and healthcare providers think about these models and what they would need for them to be practical and safe,” she said.
The current national survey of healthcare providers asks clinicians about their use of self-collection, their perceptions of emerging screening pathways and any ongoing barriers to implementation in clinical practice.
Professor Smith said the research team was keen to capture a wide range of views from across Australia.
“We want to hear from people where self-collection is working well, but also from those who have faced challenges,” she said.
“The broader spectrum of feedback we get, from remote areas to major cities, the more useful the findings will be.”
The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and is open to healthcare professionals involved in cervical screening until the end of April.
