AQW 995/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 06/06/2022
Answered On Date: 09/06/2022
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health when Northern Ireland will switch to using HPV testing rather than cytological tests to check for cervical cancer.

Answer:

The Cancer Strategy launched in March 2022 indicated that primary HPV testing would be introduced into the Cervical Screening Programme in 2022/23.

My Department’s Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) is currently working with the Public Health Agency and Regional Pathology Network to progress this action. It is anticipated that this will be partially completed within the next 12 months and will be dependent on confirmation of budgets to support this service change.