The objective of population screening programmes is to achieve health benefits and offer citizens treatment options through a familiar, accessible, safe and integrated range of high-quality screening at reasonable cost.

1. Screening organisation

The screening organisation is responsible for the execution, coordination and quality assurance of the cervical cancer screening programme. The screening organisation works under the direction of RIVM’s Centre for Population Screening and on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
Within the context of executing the primary process of the cervical cancer screening programme, the screening organisation is responsible for:

  • selecting and updating the target group that qualifies for an invitation for screening;
  •  inviting (and reminding) the target group to take part in the screening;
  • sending the self-sampling kit at the request of the invitee;
  • communicating the results of the screening to participants and GPs.

2. General Practitioners (GPs)

Within the context of executing the primary process of the cervical cancer screening programme, GPs are responsible for:

  • answering questions/providing information about the cervical cancer screening programme and counselling the target group on whether or not to take part;
  • performing anamnesis and taking pap smears;
  • informing participants in case of more severe abnormalities (HSIL);
  • advising and referring participants who require further examination by a gynaecologist.

3. Screening laboratories

The screening laboratories are chain partners of the GPs and are contracted by the screening organisation.
Within the context of executing the primary process of the cervical cancer screening programme, the screening laboratories are responsible for:

  • shipping collection materials to GPs;
  • shipping body materials collected by the GPs to the laboratory;
  • receiving and registering pap smears and self-samples;
  • processing self-samples;
  • performing HPV analysis on pap smears and self-samples;
  • performing cytological evaluations of HPV-positive participants and control smears;
  • communicating the screening outcomes to the screening organisation.

4. Gynaecologists

The gynaecologists provide follow-up examinations to participants referred from the screening programme. In this context, the gynaecologists are responsible for:

  • conducting (further) diagnostic testing;
  • treating referred participants;
  • advising on monitoring after treatment;
  • referring patients back to their GPs.