39096 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

39096 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress has been made in the last quarter (January to March 2024) to ‘Enable equitable participation for existing national cancer screening programmes through targeted investment for priority populations’ under Outcome 4: New Zealanders have better cancer survival, supportive care and end-of-life care, as part of the New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2019 – 2029?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised during the January to March 2024 quarter, Health New Zealand progressed planning and recruitment to support the initiatives outlined in the investment case that was approved to implement the recommendations from the Quality Improvement Review of Clinical Quality and Safety of BreastScreen Aotearoa. I am further advised that a second mobile breast screening unit was introduced at the Manukau Super Clinic in March. The unit moves around the district to give wāhine access to a mammogram at a convenient location for them. The mobile screening service will work closely with marae and local community groups to reach those who are due for screening appointments, with a focus on those who are under-screened or have never been screened. In addition, I am advised that Health NZ has continued work to prepare some districts for the implementation of a new function in its IT system known as Community Invitation Campaign Strategy (CICS), which enables participants to be invited to a range of face-to-face events where bowel screening kits are handed out. This new IT functionality enables campaigns to be designed with local communities to meet their needs. Health NZ continued the targeted investment to deliver zero-fees cervical screening to high-risk groups. HPV Primary Screening, as the primary test for cervical screening, was successfully launched in late 2023. The new test is easier and less invasive. Between the rollout of HPV primary screening and the end of March 2024, over 230,000 people have had a cervical screen. About 80% of individuals screened chose to use the new self-test method.