Cervical Sample Taker Training - Practice Manager Application and Declaration Form

Dear Practice Manager,

Two-Day Foundation Cervical Sample Taker Course

We have received an application from one of your Practice Nurses to undertake our approved Cervical Sample Taker Training Course.

Thank you for choosing Learning and Development Centre as your education provider. We run our RCN accredited Cervical Sample Taker training course as per Public Health England (PHE) recommended programme guidelines, so you can be assured that this course meets the required local and national standards. 

This is just a reminder that only the following UK registered healthcare professionals are eligible to train to undertake the role of cervical sample taker:

•       Registered Nurses

•       Registered Nursing Associates

•       Registered Midwives

•       Physician Associates who are registered on the Physician Associate Managed Voluntary Register (PAMVR)

•       General Medical Council (GMC) registered medical Doctors

New PHE training guidelines were published in February 2020. The External Assessor will now visit just once for the final assessment; however, it will mean a more enhanced role for the internal practice Mentor who will be required to support the Trainee. Their role will involve them undertaking the initial assessment of the Trainee using supporting materials provided via e-LFH. They are also required to monitor their performance carefully throughout the training period and to remain with them for the whole of the supervised 30-minute consultations

The Training Period

We request that Trainee Sample Takers complete their Cervical Sample Taker Training programme within six months of their first training day.  The Learning and Development Centre will be in regular contact throughout this period.  We request that if the six month target completion date cannot be met that the Trainee, Mentor or Practice Manager contact us to let us know.  In these cases a support and action plan will be agreed to ensure completion within government guidelines. 

The theoretical part of the course will be provided face to face where possible or via an online platform with a half day practical session. Speakers will be comprised of our regular highly regarded teaching team.  A major change for the Trainee sample taker will be that due to the introduction of HPV primary screening for all samples, the lab will not now test for TZ cells during the training period or thereafter.

Prior to the course

Employers will need to identify someone to act as the Mentor within the practice to support and assist completing the practical part of the course.  The named Mentor will need to be appointed by the practice prior to the start of the course and they will need to attend an online meeting prior to the training. Mentors must be practising sample takers with at least 12 months’ continuous experience, having taken at least 50 cervical samples following completion of their own initial training, have kept up to date and must be aware of the latest developments in the Cervical Screening Programme. He/she must possess good communication skills.  The Mentor Information Form must be completed, and the Mentor must attend a Mentor Introduction session, before the Trainee can attend the theory and practical training sessions. 

A separate email will be sent to the internal Mentor, which will outline their enhanced role and will include weblinks that must be used in the initial assessment of the Trainee.

Clinical and professional support for Trainees

Trainees must have easy access to their Mentor on site at the time they are taking cervical samples during unsupervised practice. This applies to all Trainees whether they work on one site or within a federation.  

Samples taken with the Mentor

·       The Trainee observes and documents at least 2 samples taken by their Mentor.

·       Trainee to take 5 cervical samples directly supervised by the Mentor

·       If all five samples are reported as satisfactory, an initial assessment will be undertaken by the Mentor

Initial assessment.

·       Its purpose is to make sure the Trainee is confident and safe to start their unsupervised clinical practice. PHE provides a library of 24 numbered images of cervices for use in the initial assessment.  Full details will be supplied to the practice Mentor in a separate document.

·       A report of the initial assessment and Trainee’s performance should be included in the Trainee's training manual.

·        If the Mentor is satisfied with the Trainee’s performance, the ‘Assessment Outcome’ form will be signed by the Mentor.

Unsupervised Sample taking

·       Twenty unsupervised samples will be taken by the Trainee. All twenty samples must be reported as acceptable by the laboratory (as determined by national guidance) before a final assessment is arranged with the external Assessor. No more than 20 samples may be taken without agreement from the course lead.

Final clinical assessment

·       The named external Assessor will visit the practice, they will be appointed by LDC who have checked their suitability.

·       It is helpful if patients can be contacted the day before to check that they intend to attend. They must be informed beforehand that an external Assessor will be present and consent to this.

·       A minimum of 3 samples will be observed by the Assessor

·       A final clinical assessment of the Trainee’s performance will be documented

Indemnity cover for the external Assessor.

A Declaration of Agreement is enclosed here. Please ensure that this is signed to provide vicarious liability cover should the Assessor be required to examine the patient during the assessment procedure. This may be necessary if the Trainee experiences for example, difficulty visualising the cervix.

It is essential that Trainees complete the programme within 6 months in order to be awarded the certificate of completion and to be eligible for entry onto the sample taker register.  Failure to achieve the programme will result in a letter being sent to you to advise you of this.

To improve uptake of screening amongst vulnerable groups we are committed to ensuring that women with learning disabilities are given every opportunity to be screened.  For sample takers it is essential that they understand how these women can be helped to make an informed choice.

I hope that you will be able to support your Trainee during this training programme by ensuring that she is able to undertake and monitor the required number of samples, and to have access to a Mentor within the 6 month period. 

Important

Please note:

§  We request that all completed Portfolios are submitted to the Learning and Development Centre within six months of the course start date. If Trainees require longer than six months to complete the practical elements of the programme this could be agreed with the Clinical Educator and a support plan agreed with the Trainee, Mentor and Practice Manager.     

§  The Trainee is required to have 30-minute appointments whilst performing supervised/unsupervised samples.

§  The internal Mentor should notify the course lead if there is any concern about progress at any stage.

§  It is particularly important that the internal Mentor works alongside the Trainee for the initial supervised patients until the Trainee is signed off to continue unsupervised. This means accompanying the student throughout the whole of the 30 minute consultation. The Mentor must check the results of at least five patient consultations.  The Mentor must also have sufficient time to view the online images and question the Trainee as part of the Initial Assessment. We hope this is clear but if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us.