Nurse-led Cervical Screening

With the ongoing shortage of GP appointments in Cairns, we are pleased to continue to offer appointments for our nurse-led cervical screening clinic- now with our Nurse Practitioner- Taylor who has undertaken specialised training in cervical screening, sexual and reproductive health.

One of the many benefits of using our service is that you do not need to see a GP first: saving time and allowing you more flexibility with appointments.

Cervical screening test appointments are available to all female patients (existing and new) for a $30.75 out of pocket fee.

Taylor will review your results and contact you via phone (typically within 1-3 weeks following your appointment, depending on laboratory processing times) and is more than happy to copy the results to any GP if you attend another clinic regularly.

The Cervical Screening Test (CST) replaced pap smears in December 2017. Cervical Screening is just as safe and is more effective than having a pap test every two years.

The National Cervical Screening Program currently recommends that all women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 to 74 years, who have ever been sexually active, attend a clinic for a cervical screening test every five years (or more often depending on your results).

You should still have a CST even if you have had the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)/ cervical cancer vaccine in the past.

If you are due for your five-yearly (low-risk) screening test, you are eligible for a self-collect sample. However, clinician-collected samples remain the preferred method (by laboratories and clinicians) as they are suitable for further testing as needed. Our nurses are happy to discuss eligibility and facilitate self-collection if this is your preferred choice.

If you are not sure when you are due or what your last test result was, please call and ask to speak to one of our nurses.

To book an appointment, simply call the practice or book online