Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
National Cervical Screening Program
Photos of Women

Pap test register

Information and contact details for Pap test registers in Australia.

Pap test registers operate in each state and territory. Registers keep a confidential record of your Pap smear results and provide a valuable, voluntary and confidential backup system.

Women’s details automatically go on a Pap test register, unless they specifically ask not to be included.

The registers have an important role in data collection and quality control for the National Cervical Screening Program and provide services to Pap smear takers, laboratories and women. In particular they:

  • collect screening histories of individual women;
  • provide the cytology laboratory and/or the Pap smear taker with results of previous abnormal smears so that a more detailed evaluation can be done of the present smear if necessary;
  • provide a safety net if women have not had follow-up of an abnormal smear;
  • send reminders to women overdue for routine screening; and
  • provide Australia-wide data on the epidemiology and natural history of pre-cancerous lesions.
The Pap test registers can only fulfil these functions if the majority of women who have Pap smears have their results recorded. Since the implementation of the 2005 guidelines, data has been collected by Pap test registers according to the Standardised Cervical Screening Data Dictionary (Version 1) (PDF 516 KB)

If you want more information about the registers, to advise of a change of address, or if you would prefer to have your details removed from a register, contact your state or territory Pap Test Register at:
Alternatively, you can contact the National Cervical Screening Program in your state or territory on 13 15 56 (for the cost of a local phone call).

You can also contact your GP, health centre, family planning clinic or Aboriginal Medical Service for information about the registers.

For further information contact your GP,
health centre or family planning clinic, or ring 13 15 56 (for the cost of a local call).

Page currency, Latest update: 17 June, 2009