The National Cervical Screening Programme in New Zealand is independently reviewed every three years.
The Review is legislated under Part 4A, Section 112O, of the Health Act 1956.
In January 2011 the New Zealand Associate Minister of Health, Hon Tariana Turia, appointed Dr Jeffrey H J Tan (Australia), Dr Roberta I Howlett (Canada) and Linda Thompson (New Zealand) ('the Review Committee') to undertake the Review.
The overall conclusion of the Review Committee was positive: 'The NCSP has realised success by improved participation rates and a subsequent decline in burden of disease related to cancer of the cervix'.
The Review Committee made 39 recommendations. Most of the recommendations proposed improvements to the programme that will sustain this success in the context of changing technology.