National Cervical Screening Programme / Breast Screen Aoteoroa Covid-19: Information for Support to Screening providers New Zealand, as a country, is now at a level 4 COVID-19 response. This has impacts for the health sector including the breast, cervical and bowel screening programmes. The decision has been made that all public cancer routine screening (breast, cervical and bowel screening) will stop during this period. From Tuesday 24 March 2020 invitations to participants in routine screening were paused. Whilst this will significantly decrease the work flow there are some essential services that must be maintained to support women on the diagnostic and treatment pathway. BSA There is limited BSA assessment continuing. Support to screening providers should continue to accept prioritised referrals from BSA providers, if requested. Please let your lead BSA provider(s) know about your availability. NCSP Currently as preparations continue in the healthcare sector, women referred to colposcopy on the diagnostic and treatment pathway will be triaged and prioritised by DHB colposcopy departments and primary care will be triaging and prioritising women who require any urgent follow up. Support to screening services should continue to accept these prioritised referrals from primary care or colposcopy services. Please let colposcopy services know about your availability. Service protocols Protocols must be in place to ensure both staff and patients remain safe. Please go to the Ministry website for further information. Advice on appropriate use of PPE will be available on the Ministry of Health website shortly. As indicated in the email sent by Astrid Koornneef from the National Screening Unit on Tuesday 24 March funding of contracts will continue. Healthcare workforce We need more healthcare workers to support our response to COVID-19, please consider this if capacity allows. We have been asking past health professionals to express their interest in helping with our response to COVID-19. Over 1,300 have come forward so far. We are now also asking current health workers who may be available as non-essential services are paused to express their interest. We are seeking people to work in both general and clinically specialised roles as we scale up the health and care workforce. More information about how to express interest is available on the Ministry of Health website: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-novelcoronavirus-information-specific-audiences/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-resources-healthprofessionals/increasing-health-workforce-capacity Nicki Martin NCSP Manager National Screening Unit
Maree Pierce BSA Manager National Screening Unit