Sample Taking

Sample Taker Training Review

Between 2005 and 2008 there were two serious untoward incidents reported to NHS Yorkshire and the Humber which related to the quality of cervical screening sample taking. Both were investigated and showed similar root causes which included training, supervision and performance management of practitioners in primary care. NHS Yorkshire and the Humber and NHS North East subsequently commissioned a review of cervical screening sample taker training in December 2008. The review considered the current and future provision for this training and recommended a strengthening of commissioning arrangements for training and the programme, implementation of quality assurance for sample taker training and further development of the training content.

In response to this the Cervical Screening Sample Taker Training Review group was formed, an action plan developed and a project lead appointed. Although the profile of Cervical Sample Taker training has been raised by the review, incidents have continued to occur, with seven primary care related incidents being reported to the QARC in 2010.

Service Specifications

The training review highlighted a need for clear service specifications with all aspects of the programme. These can be obtained from the supporting documents section of this website

Sample Taker Training Guidance

A training specification has been developed detailing the responsibilities for those delivering and undertaking sample taker training as part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) in NHS North East and NHS Yorkshire and the Humber. In addition to this it will detail the requirements for the content of sample taker training. These can be obtained from the regional protocols section of this website

e-Learning

NHS Yorkshire and the Humber have developed an e-learning package. The content of this course is based upon section 3 of NHSCSP publication 23: Taking Sample for Cervical Screening.

 Sample Taker database

 A web-based database for the quality assurance of sample takers has been developed. It will allow a means of producing and allocating sample taker codes, aligning sample taker performance data and training data against sample taker codes and producing reports to allow quality to be monitored.

Sample takers will be able to use this database to review their own performance and gain access to resources such as their local screening protocols and their training history.

Cervical screening the facts - addition translated versions

We have developed locally with the support of NHS Bradford and Airedale a number of additional translations of Cervical screening: The facts. These can be downloaded and printed below:

Cervical screening: The facts - Lithuanian

Cervical screening: The facts - Latvian

Cervical screening: The facts - Russian

Cervical screening: The facts - Czech

Cervical screening: The facts - Slovakian (zip file)

Yorkshire and the Humber Sample Taker Basic Training

From April 2011 it has been agreed by the PCT’s in Yorkshire and the Humber along with the SHA that a local model of training and mentorship will be adopted for the region. Provision for all training will be provided by the Universities and mentorship will be organised through PCT clusters.

The Regional Training Centre’s Certificate Course for Health Care Professionals which is delivered across the Yorkshire and the Humber region has ceased from October 2010. Basic training will continue to be available through designated universities, please find their details below;