Cease, Reinstate or Deferral from Cervical Screening Programme
The 'Cervical Cancer Screening' Template can be accessed from 'Auto-Consultation > ardens SCREENING > Cervical Cancer', the second tab is 'Cease or Defer'.
IMPORTANT NOTE - Change to a new Cervical Screening Management System (CSMS), from the current Open Exeter/ CSAS system in April 2024.
The current NHAIS-based system accessible through Open Exeter, will be replaced by the new NHS Cervical Screening Management System (CSMS) by the end of the 2023-24 financial year - for more information please refer to the NHS Digital CSMS guide for more details along with the transition process which begins from 30th September 2023.
To access the new URL, please click on the NHS Cervical Screening website.
The above template goes through the process if you are unable to submit via CSMS highlighted in blue.
Please see below the Open Exeter process:
Notify CSAS of Cease or Defer
Practices should submit Cease and Deferral requests via Open Exeter to CSAS before the cut off shown on the Open Exeter Prior Notification List (PNL) to avoid inappropriate invitations.
Women can be ceased via Open Exeter for reasons of: Age or No Cervix.
They can be deferred for: Recent test, current pregnancy, patient wish to defer or under treatment relevant to screening.
In line with guidance published in the ‘NHS cervical screening call and recall: Guide to administrative good practice’ the GP practice must specify how long the deferral is for in multiples of 6 months, up to a maximum time of 18 months. So, a woman may be postponed for 6, 12 or 18 months at any one time. Please ensure the deferral period does not exceed 18 months.
For any other reason to cease or defer, which you are unable to submit via Open Exeter, a cease or deferral form should be completed.
The forms should be submitted via the online enquiry form, which can be found on the CSAS support page here (section 3), via the Cervical Cancer Screening template or below:
Ceasing from the Cervical Screening Programme
Ceasing from the Cervical Screening Programme - Mental Capacity Act (MCA)
Informed Consent for withdrawal from the Cervical Screening Programme
Reinstate into Cervical Screening Programme
Cervical Screening Programme Deferral
To submit the form using the online form, please follow these steps:
- Select, download*, print and complete the appropriate form from the links above
- Where a wet signature is required, please ensure this is captured on the form
- Go to the Contact Us page and select ‘Screening – Cease/Reinstate/Defer’ from the drop down menu under enquiry type
- Select the category type and complete the mandatory fields for your request
- Upload the relevant form, signed as required
- Submit the request
You will then receive confirmation that the request has been received.
When a practice notifies CSAS that a woman should be ceased from the PNL, a marker is set on NHAIS and the patient will be cancelled from the Call/Recall programme. The practice will then receive a Cease notification via Open Exeter.
*Please note: The forms are in pdf format to ensure they remain standardised across the service. Please print off, complete and upload the form for submission as outlined above.