GovWire

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

This publication was originally published by Public Health England, which closed on 30 September 2021.