Cancer Screening and Management
Sydney North Health Network (SNHN) works to direct public attention and health policy towards increased participation in cervical, breast, and bowel cancer screening amongst the eligible Sydney North Health Network population. We support the NSW Primary Care Strategy and also encourage skin cancer prevention, smoking cessation, alcohol consumption reduction strategies, and other initiatives to decrease the incidence of cancer.
SNHN recognizes primary health care providers can have a significant impact on encouraging people to screen and we guide strategies that may facilitate this.
Currently, SNHN screening rates are slightly higher than NSW rates, however, we will continue to strive toward increased early intervention.
The PCAIT SNHN team is available to partner with health care providers to improve cancer screening participation. Contact them at pcait@snhn.org.au.
Practice software, the Primary Sense Data Extraction tool, and the National Cancer Screening Register can be used to identify patients who are eligible yet identify as under-screened for bowel and cervical cancer.
Quality Improvement Tools
Tools to increase participation in the three national cancer screening programs:
- Cancer Institute NSW: Cancer Screening Primary Care Quality Improvement Toolkit
- PHN National Improvement Network: Lung Cancer Screening Quality Improvement Toolkit
Bowel cancer screening participation rates among people aged 50-74 years in Sydney North Health Network region (41.7%) are higher than the NSW rate (37.5%). Overall rates have not reached pre-Covid levels. Rates among men aged 50-74 years remain lower compared to females from the same age group. (2024 RBCO) Colorectal cancer rates are increasing among people aged 20–39 years in Australia and internationally, and it was the leading cause of cancer death in this age group in Australia in 2021.
- Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention, early detection and management of colorectal cancer
- Bowel Screening HealthPathways
- The National Bowel Screening Program
- Managing bowel screening for your patients
- National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) Health Professional resources
- Program Home Bowel Test Kit (multilingual instructions)
- Direct Access Colonoscopy (DAC) service
Results data entry instructions
Breast cancer screening participation rates among women aged 50-74 years (50.3%) in the Sydney North Health Network area are slightly lower than the NSW rate (52.2%). Rates remain significantly lower for Aboriginal and CALD women. (2024 RBCO).
Nine out of ten females in NSW with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.
- Eligibility
- Investigation of a new breast symptom – a guide for general practitioners
- BreastScreen NSW information
- Breast density GP guidance | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Breast Screening Health Pathways
- GP referral pads may be ordered here and bookings made online here.
- General Practitioner BreastScreen NSW data request form
- BreastScreen Australia Program
- Providing breast screening to your patients
Cervical screening participation rates among women aged 25-74 years in the Sydney North Health Network region(69.3%), are higher than the NSW rate( 60.6%)( 2024 RBCO)
Screen-detected cervical cancers are less likely to cause death than those in women who had never screened.
- National Cervical Screening Program
- Cervical Screening HealthPathways
- The Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation woman-focused “comfort checklist” for cervical screening
- Providing cervical screening
- Self-collection information for patients
Results data entry instructions
National Lung Cancer Screening Program
The National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) aims to achieve better health outcomes for Australians by detecting lung cancer early and saving lives. Early detection using low dose CT scan in high-risk individuals can lead to more effective treatment options and improved outcomes for patients.
People are eligible for the program if they are aged between 50 and 70 years and:
- show no signs or symptoms suggesting you may have lung cancer (that is, you are asymptomatic)
- currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years
- have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack years
Recorded smoking rates in the Northern Sydney region are lower than the NSW average (8% vs 11.7%). 34% of lung cancer cases in NS occur in those with a non-English speaking country of birth and 47% in those aged aver 75 years (similar to NSW data). Approx 25% are diagnosed at a localised stage.
Large international studies show low-dose CT scans can detect up to 70% of lung cancers early and reduce mortality by 20%. When detected early, more than 65% of cases are treatable.
National Lung Cancer Screening Program website – https://www.health.gov.au/lung-cancer-screening-saves-lives
NLCSP Program Guidelines – https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-04/national-lung-cancer-screening-program-guidelines.pdf
National Lung Cancer GP Resource Guide – https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-05/national-lung-cancer-screening-program-general-practitioner-resource-guide.pdf
Shared Decision-Making Tool – National Lung Cancer Screening Program – Shared decision making informed choice for lung cancer screening: a guide for healthcare providers
Program Resources – https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/nlcsp/resources
Additional Findings Guidelines
Lung Foundation Australia has developed E-learning modules for healthcare professionals which are available here – https://lungfoundation.com.au/health-professionals/training-and-events/national-lung-cancer-screening-program-health-workforce-education/
Low dose CT scan referral form is available to download and is embedded in the MD and BP practice software.
National Cancer Screening Register access and support
National Cancer Screening Register Patient Privacy information
Walkthrough video guides for supporting your patients in lung cancer screening
SNHN/NSLHD provided a webinar covering the NLCSP guidelines, participant management and radiology aspects on 11 June 2025 and the recording can be viewed here – https://youtu.be/1yt0vbHqjMk
Lung Cancer Screening report is available in Primary Sense which can be utilised to identify patients aged 50–70 who may be eligible for a funded low-dose CT (LDCT) scan.