KC61: Pathology Laboratories - Cervical Cytology and Outcome of Gynaecological Referrals

This return is in development by the NHS Cancer Screening Programme, therefore the information should not be used.
For further information on National Cervical Screening, please see the NHS Digital website.

• Contextual Overview

• The Department of Health and Social Care, NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP), Strategic Health Authorities and trusts require information from Pathology Laboratories on cervical cytology and outcome of referrals.
  
  A Pathology Laboratory is a Laboratory.

• The information helps to monitor the process of achieving the Government's target to reduce the incidence of invasive cervical cancer and to ensure that the screening programme is managed effectively. The information is used to ensure that the laboratory is achieving acceptable standards in examining smears in line with guidance provided by the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

• Information on the return is also used in Public Expenditure Survey (PES) negotiations, resource allocation to the NHS and Departmental accountability.

• Information based on the KC61 return is published annually by the Department in the Statistical Bulletin `Cervical Screening Programme'.

  Completing Return KC61: Pathology Laboratories - Cervical Cytology and Outcome of Referrals

• KC61 returns are required by all Pathology Laboratories carrying out cervical cytology within NHS Health Care Providers. This applies to independently managed NHS laboratories, including cytopathology laboratories and also private laboratories if they are commissioned to report on smears for the NHS.

  Each return requires the ORGANISATION CODE and ORGANISATION NAME of the NHS Trust and must be signed by a CONSULTANT in one of the Pathology MAIN SPECIALTY CODES. It also requires the pathology LABORATORY NAME and pathology LABORATORY CODE. Note that pathology LABORATORY CODES are maintained and issued by the Organisation Data Service on behalf of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

• A Pathology Laboratory's KC61 return should include all the original Requests for Pathology Investigation received by that laboratory. A Request for Pathology Investigation forwarded to another laboratory should only be included in the first laboratory's return (except Part A3).
  
  A Request for Pathology Investigation is a DIAGNOSTIC TEST REQUEST where the DIAGNOSTIC TEST REQUEST is National Code 03 'Request for Pathology Investigation'.

• Smears re-screened within the same Laboratory as part of internal or external quality control or for any other reason should not be included in the KC61 return. The number of requests sent to or received from another Laboratory for primary screening or other reason should be recorded in Part A3.

• Where more than one slide is associated with one Request for Pathology Investigation, only the most significant CYTOLOGY RESULT TYPES may be counted for the KC61.

• The return KC61 is completed annually and submitted within two months of the end of the period.

• Parts A and B of the return relate to all smears reported by the laboratory where the smear was received and registered between 1 April of one year and 31 March of the following year. If this date is not recorded, the CERVICAL SMEAR EXAMINED DATE can be used as a proxy. Part C1 of the return relates to smears where the date of the smear which led to a referral fell in the first three months of the financial year (April, May and June). Part C2 is a duplicate of Part C1, but will collect data relating to gynaecological referrals from smears registered during the whole of the financial year prior to the current year.