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Guidance

Cervical screening: cytology reporting failsafe (primary HPV)

Guidelines covering primary HPV and primary cytology screening pathways, to avoid and manage errors (or missed screens) during the cervical screening process.

Updates to this page

From:
NHS England
Published:
1 December 2004
Last updated:
25 August 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated to reflect new HPV sample taker training guidance

  2. Rewording of paragraph in introduction to reflect extension of screening interval to 5 years.

  3. Minor updates to terminology. CSMS and colposcopy discharge changes. Addition of appendix 5 and appendix 6.

  4. In the details, changed 'originally published by Public Health England' to 'previously published by Public Health England'.

  5. Added clarification that publication was originally published by Public Health England.

  6. Added pre-existing guidance for the primary cytology screening pathway.

  7. We have updated this guidance to reflect the implementation of the primary HPV screening pathway.

  8. Updated guidance from 2004.

  9. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Cervical screening: cytology reporting failsafe (primary HPV)

HTML

Appendix 1: failsafe overview (primary HPV)

PDF, 215 KB, 1 page

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Appendix 2: cervical screening result and action codes (primary HPV)

PDF, 133 KB, 4 pages

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Appendix 3: example failsafe enquiry letter: colposcopy (primary HPV)

PDF, 81.2 KB, 1 page

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Appendix 4: example failsafe enquiry letter: GP (primary HPV)

PDF, 62.5 KB, 1 page

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Appendix 5: Colposcopy discharge pathways

HTML

Appendix 6: Colposcopy discharge list

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 43.5 KB

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Details

Commissioners, providers and healthcare professionals should use these guidelines to help avoid and manage errors or missed screens.

Two versions of this guidance are currently in use:

  • ‘Cervical screening: cytology reporting failsafe (primary HPV)’ - with 4 related appendices
  • ‘Cervical screening: cytology reporting failsafe (primary cytology) - with 4 related appendices

Refer to the correct version of the guidance depending on whether primary HPV screening has been implemented or not.

The guidance covers:

  • the failsafe process
  • the role of the screening commissioner
  • call and recall
  • failsafe in primary care
  • laboratory failsafe
  • colposcopy clinics
  • cervical screening provider leads

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