The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in Queensland

National Cancer Screening Register

The National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) was established to support both the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP). The NCSR supports bowel screening through:

• issuing invitations and iFOBT kits to eligible people
• sending reminder letters to anyone who doesn’t complete their iFOBT within 6 weeks of receiving it
• recording participants' details, screening history, iFOBT test results, and any other test results, which follow as a result of a positive iFOBT
• reminding people with a positive iFOBT result—and their nominated general practitioner (GP)—where there is no record on the Program Register, that they should consult their GP or attend for the follow up tests to which they were referred.

In addition to online information, the NCSR has two online portals to support communication for:

• Health Professionals to check patient screening information and provide participant information back to the NCSR such as follow up and referral, colonoscopy and histopathology findings. Visit the Healthcare Provider Portal

and

• Participants via myGov accounts, that enable them to update their information, manage their participation and view screening information. Access the Participant Portal

Program supports in Queensland

General practitioners

The role of the GP is to deliver clinically appropriate advice, services, treatment and care, and provide data on participants and their outcomes to the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR). Through the Alternative Access Model, GP’s can now bulk order NBCSP kits to their practice and issue them directly to patients. You do need to complete an online form via the NCSR.

GP's can access patient screening information and communicate with the NCSR via:

• the Healthcare Provider Portal (registration required)
• a integrated clinical software interface to the NCSR
• the NCSR Contact Centre on 1800 627 701.

Program participants are encouraged to nominate their usual GP or medical practice on their participant details form, but this is not compulsory. The result of the iFOBT test will be sent to the participant and to their GP, if nominated.

Find out more

• The role of GPs – The role of health professionals in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
• Alternate Access Model, order kits to your practice and issue kits directly to your patients – NBCSP Alternative Access to Kits model

Gastroenterology Nurse Coordinators

A network of GE (Gastroenterology) Nurse Coordinators assist Program participants by ensuring they have access to follow up care, and help them through the assessment colonoscopy pathway within Queensland public hospital and health services.

Contacts for bowel cancer screening

Health Promotion Officers

Health Promotion Officers (HPOs) are a key information contact for the community, their GPs and other health care providers about the Program. Most hospital and health service areas have an HPO available.

You can find contact details for HPOs on Contacts for bowel cancer screening.

Participant Follow-Up Officers

The Participant Follow-up Function (PFUF) aims to minimise loss to follow-up for at risk participants indicated for appropriate diagnostic assessment. PFUF officers encourage Program participants to progress through the screening pathway where they have received a positive FOBT result and are not recorded on the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) as having attended the necessary follow-up, including:

• GP/primary health care provider appointment
• an assessment colonoscopy or other clinically relevant assessment.

PFUF officers use software systems to access records and may contact the participant and/or their health professional by mail or telephone. The Qld Health PFUF team completes more than 10,000 contacts each year.

It is important to note that the PFUF function is only in place for NBCSP test kits, and that this service is not provided for other bowel screening services/kits.

For more information, or if you have question about participant follow-up, contact the Participant Follow-Up team for Queensland, or call the National Cancer Screening Register on 1800 627 701.