Following a review of its delivery strategy, NHS England has agreed to begin a one-stage procurement process to reconfigure provider laboratories to support the roll-out of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) primary screening into the NHS Cervical Cancer Screening Programme in England.
In coming to this decision, NHS England has taken advice and support from the IBMS, the Royal College of Pathologists and the British Association for Cytopathology.
This decision, based upon learning from market engagement events held earlier this year, will see the procurement commence in November 2018.
To ensure the NHS Cervical Screening Programme continues to deliver a quality service to women during this period of change, NHS England will work with NHS Improvement to give all laboratories that meet the quality criteria the opportunity to implement HPV primary screening ahead of the start of the procurement process.
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