Cervical cancer is largely preventable. Australia has had a national screening program since 1991 and cervical screening tests are free through Medicare. The science isn’t the problem.
The problem is that a growing group of Australian women — migrants, temporary visa holders, women without secure Medicare access, women without the time or the safety at home to attend a clinic appointment — are systematically missed by the system.
NOWSIS is working with the University of Melbourne and Clinic 66 on a research-backed program to reach them. The model combines clinician-supported self-collection, telehealth guidance, and integration with GP networks. The aim is simple: fewer women falling out of the screening system, fewer preventable cancers.
What the collaboration is
NOWSIS, Clinic 66, and the University of Melbourne are working together to make cervical screening easier, fairer, and closer to home. The model combines three things that are usually separate: self-collection HPV testing, telehealth clinical support, and integration with existing GP networks for follow-up.
The University of Melbourne brings research and evaluation expertise. Clinic 66 delivers the clinical service. NOWSIS bridges the two: connecting eligible women to the program, funding participation where cost is a barrier, and making sure the pathway holds together end-to-end.
Why underscreening matters
Underscreened women face a significantly higher risk of cervical cancer. And “underscreened” isn’t a random group. It’s a specific one: women who face structural barriers to attending a clinic appointment. That includes limited appointment availability in their area, distance from a clinic, cultural safety concerns, past trauma, competing life priorities, or the everyday reality that a woman working two jobs and caring for children can’t take a half-day off for a Pap test.
The barriers aren’t clinical. They’re logistical, financial, and personal. So the response has to be logistical, financial, and personal too.
Key focus areas of the collaboration:
- Safe, clinician-supported self-collection pathways
- Embedded telehealth support for education and navigation
- Seamless linking of results to GPs for follow-up and continuity of care
- Culturally appropriate outreach to underscreened communities
How the program works
1. Register. Women and people with a cervix who are overdue or have never screened can register their interest. The project team checks eligibility and preferences. Registration can happen as a standalone service (privately billed) or through the Telehealth Abortion service (bulk billed).
2. Self-collect with support. Participants collect their own sample in a private setting of their choosing, guided by clear instructions and supported by telehealth clinicians who are available before, during, and after collection if needed.
3. Results and follow-up. Results are sent to a nominated clinician. If follow-up is required, the team coordinates appointments through GP partners, colposcopy services, or telehealth. No woman is left to navigate the next step alone.
The pathway aligns with Australia’s National Cervical Screening Program and current national guidelines on HPV testing and self-collection.
Who we aim to reach
The program targets people who are underscreened or never-screened. In practice, this includes:
– Women without a Medicare card
– Women on temporary visas or international students
– Women in remote or underserved areas
– Women who have experienced past trauma that makes standard clinical appointments unsafe
– Women who have been out of the screening system for five years or more
The program is also offered as an opportunistic addition for patients accessing the Clinic 66 Telehealth Abortion service, where a screening conversation can happen naturally alongside other care.
