Cervical Screening Programme

From 2025, we are extremely excited to offer a Cervical Screening Programme, providing Cervical Sample Taker Training to eligible registered healthcare professionals across West Yorkshire, delivered by our Clinical Programme Lead and supported by our dedicated Project Manager and network of External Assessors.

Cervical sample taking is one element of a complex screening pathway. The NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) requires that all cervical sample takers have undertaken appropriate training to acquire the level of knowledge, clinical skill and understanding of the cervical screening programme needed to undertake the role of the cervical sample taker and uphold the standards of the NHSCSP. Our Cervical Sample Taker Training course is designed to equip the clinician with these necessary skills, following the NHSCSP guidance on education and training.

This training course is comprehensive and requires support, protected time and commitment from the trainee, in-house mentor, and practice manager/employer. Please do not underestimate the requirements to successfully complete the course.

Eligibility

This programme is currently open to registered nurses and registered nursing associates. Going forward, further eligible roles may be included should the relevant funding stream allow.

Taking cervical samples is a delegated activity and the nursing associate works within the remits of their professional code. The screening provider must consider safety, quality, competency and the Treatment of Disease, Disorder, or Injury (TDDI) legislation when deploying a nursing associate. When a nursing associate has registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), a registered professional listed under the legislation (registered nurse or GP) will need to supervise their practice. The individual who provides this professional support must be present at the GP practice to undertake indirect supervision of the nursing associate when carrying out the procedure.

Course Structure

The programme consists of 2 days theoretical training, followed by a 9-month period of mentored practical training. The trainee has 9-months to successfully complete the full course.

Theoretical Training
Theoretical training takes place over 2 days, face-to-face in a classroom setting and includes an element of practical sample taking using a teaching pelvic model and range of specula. Theoretical training also covers all the competencies outlined in the Skills for Health Competency Framework and all topic areas set out below:

Topic 1: The NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP)
Topic 2: Background to Cervical Screening
Topic 3: Organisation of the NHSCSP
Topic 4: Equality of Access to Cervical Screening
Topic 5: Cervical Screening Sample Requests
Topic 6: Understanding the Test Results
Topic 7: Anatomy and Physiology of the Pelvic Organs
Topic 8: Practical Aspects of Taking Cervical Samples

Practical Training
After theoretical study, practical on the job training will take place in the trainee’s place of work and must be supervised by a suitably qualified and experienced sample taker in the practice, who will act as the nominated in-house mentor.

Summary

External Assessment

Whilst some training providers only offer a final external assessment, we include an initial, mid-point and final assessment as a gold standard.

The assessments will take place with an external assessor appointed by the PCWTH.

External assessors are experienced sample takers who visit a trainee in their place of work to observe their practice and provide a response on their competence. By signing the application form you are agreeing that the trainee can undertake all the practical elements of the course in their place of work, including the external assessments.

There will be an additional cost to the practice/workplace for any additional external assessor visits, and external assessors should refer to the PCWTH for guidance in this instance.

The nominated in-house mentor should be available after the external assessments for discussion with the external assessor and trainee. For nursing associates, the nominated in-house mentor MUST be available on the premises during the whole assessment.

If I’m interested in becoming an External Assessor, how do I get involved?

If you are interested in being a Cervical Screening External Assessor, you can download our application form to complete and return to wy.traininghub@nhs.net

Application forms can be found here:

EA Assessor Application 1 (self-employed / in own time)

EA Assessor Application 2 (employed / in works time)

How to Apply

Upcoming Cohort Start Dates:

October 2025
Day 1 (Theory) – Wednesday 1 October 2025, 9.00 – 15.30, The Ridge Medical Practice, Bradford.
Day 2 (Practical + Theory Recap) – Thursday 2 October 2025, 9.00 – 15.30, The Ridge Medical Practice, Bradford.

February 2026
Day 1 (Theory) – Wednesday 25 February 2026, 9.00 – 15.30, The Ridge Medical Practice, Bradford.
Day 2 (Practical + Theory Recap) – Thursday 26 February 2026, 9.00 – 15.30, The Ridge Medical Practice, Bradford.

Places are fully funded by NHS England for GPNs and NAs employed within West Yorkshire via 2025/2026 CPD Funding.

Please note, by applying for this course you will be using your allocated 2025/26 CPD funding. To apply, please complete our 2025/26 CPD Funding Application Form.

Places are awarded to eligible applicants on a first come, first served basis. You will receive email confirmation with an application pack if you have successfully secured a place.

If you are outside of this eligibility and you would like to enquire about self-funded place, please email wy.traininghub@nhs.net

Maintaining Competence & Update Training

Sample takers should keep up to date with the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) and undertake continuous self-evaluation to ensure continued competence in accordance with their professional codes of conduct.

Sample takers should undertake a minimum of one half-day mandatory update training every three years. Once an update is completed, the certificate must be uploaded to the Cervical Sample Taker Database (CSTD).

An NHSCSP nationally approved online update course can be accessed via e-lfh here.

Resources

Cervical Screening with Women with Learning disabilities / or Autistic Women

A series of films has been launched by Pennine Care to support autistic women and women with a learning disability to access potentially life-saving cervical cancer screening.

The films have been made by autistic women and women with a learning disability for their peers – with a breadth of real-life experiences shaping every stage of development. A range of partners came together to develop several bite-size accessible films about cervical cancer screening and the HPV vaccine. The films are available on YouTube.

There is also an ITV report: Films urge women with autism or learning disabilities to have cervical screening.

Cervical Screening Programme

Eligibility

Course Structure

External Assessment

How to Apply

Maintaining Competence & Update Training

Resources

West Yorkshire

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