Screening eligibility and funding

People should be encouraged to participate in the NCSP if they are a wāhine/woman, or a person with a cervix, aged 25 – 69 who:  

• has ever had intimate skin-to-skin contact or any sexual activity (even if they haven’t been sexually active for a long time)  
• Has only had non-penetrative sex (i.e. oral sex, sharing sex toys)  
• Is straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer 
• Is transgender, gender diverse, or non-binary, and has a cervix  
• Has only been with one sexual partner 
• Has had the HPV vaccination or not  
• Is pregnant or has had a baby  
• Has been through menopause  

Many people aged 70 - 74 years will have been exited from the programme and do not need any further screening. These people will have an ‘unenrolled’ programme status on the Register and the PHO Cervical Screening Status Report. 

1. The HPV test is more sensitive than cytology in predicting cervical abnormalities caused by HPV infection. For this reason, for participants aged 65 years and over, a single HPV test with an HPV not detected result is considered enough to safely discharge participants from the NCSP  
2. Participants with an HPV not detected test result reported from age 65 or over (or age 67 or over if immune deficient) and with no subsequent abnormal cytology or histology results can cease screening if they have an HPV result of HPV not detected.  
3. Participants between the ages of 70 and 74 who have not met the exit criteria previously and had an HPV not detected result in the five years prior to age 70 (or in the three years prior to age 70 if immune deficient) should have an HPV test and can cease screening if the HPV result is not detected.  
4. Screening for asymptomatic participants aged 75 years and over is not recommended. 

Māori, Pacific peoples, and CSC holders are eligible for free screening, as well as unscreened and underscreened people. Follow-up testing is also free for everyone. If you are unsure, talk to your screening provider to see if you are eligible for free screening.  

Zero-fees cervical screening funding for priority groups (PDF 213KB)

Enhancing health equity for wāhine Māori, Pacific peoples, and the Rainbow community has been a foundational part of HPV Primary Screening implementation.  

Targeted engagement with under-screened groups and a focus on less invasive clinical pathways are helping the NCSP to meet cultural needs while also reducing barriers to access.  

You can access resources from the co-designed awareness campaign from HealthEd.  

Go to HealthEd website