Cervical screening - always tested in a lab?

[over50andfab]

Does anyone know if smears tests have to always be sent to a lab for testing or if GP surgeries can do them - at least to detect high risk HPV which is tested for first now? Or can they be sent off for results notified back digitally to GPs within a couple of days?

I had a smear done about 3 weeks ago and noticed within a couple of days the result displayed as negative on patient access. I haven’t received a letter yet. As last year’s results showed HPV pos. but no abnormal cells found and presumably done in a lab with letter sent I wondered how others are being notified if it’s an HPV neg. result?

Bump

Always sent to lab. We don't have the facilities to do them.

Thanks @Musicaltheatremum. Is it possible to get the smear done one day and have results sowing on patient access the following? Also is a results letter always sent?

A result letter should always be sent. I'm really not sure about how quickly the results appear. I really don't get involved with the screening process as our nurses do the smears and the results are dealt with centrally so as a GP we never see them! But results of anything are sent downline into the record so would be instantaneous once the result was available. We changed to HPV testing where I am just as covid hit and they have not long started screening again so my mind hasn't been on this...there was an email among thousands .😭

Thank you for your help. You must be very busy now that things that had been put on hold are getting restarted.

Hi OP

I had an HPV positive result last year and a repeat smear on 28 October. My results letter came through last week (HPV negative).

The practice nurse did say timings for results would be longer this year.

@LarkDescending

Hi OP

I had an HPV positive result last year and a repeat smear on 28 October. My results letter came through last week (HPV negative).

The practice nurse did say timings for results would be longer this year.

Hi, thanks for that and good to hear someone’s experience that results might be taking longer (looks like a month in your case) 🙏

Just thought I'd update this and say I received my results back a couple of days before Christmas, so took 6 weeks in all. Despite patient access saying cervical smear - negative (can only imagine that the nurse couldn't see any visible issues) the results were actually positive.