Alternative access to screening kits

On this page:

• Before a patient visit: register for portal access, integrate clinical software, order kits for your practice, review resources and support materials.
• During a patient visit: issuing a kit to your patient, explain follow-ups and time frames.

If you are a participating healthcare provider, you can now issue a bowel screening iFOBT kit directly to eligible patients through the alternative access to kits model (AAM). This is in addition to the existing mail out model and helps remove barriers preventing some people from participating in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP).

Kits can only be bulk ordered or issued after you register for access to the Healthcare Provider Portal (the portal). You also need portal access to view screening data and submit forms.

Before a patient visit

Register for access—the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) Healthcare Provider Portal can be accessed by creating a PRODA account:

1. log into PRODA
2. select the NCSR tile
3. enter your provider number
4. provide other details needed to register.

You can also set up proxy access for other practice staff as needed.

Integrate clinical software—The portal can be optionally integrated with clinical and practice management software to provide a quick view of screening status and also support the kit issue process.

Find out more about:

• available partners
• technical support.

Order iFOBT kits for your practice—To help ensure bowel screening kits are readily available for eligible patients, you can use the portal to place a bulk order and have them sent to your practice.

Kits can't be ordered through integrated software.

Please be conservative when ordering kits as they have a shelf-life of up to 7 months.

To begin, please calculate how many kits are needed, check current stock levels, and determine if existing stock will soon expire. Once numbers are determined you can place an order.

1. Log into the Healthcare Provider Portal.
2. Click the ‘ iFOBT Bulk Order’ button at the top of the screen.
3. Click ‘start order’.
4. Complete the form—the delivery address can be overwritten.
5. Confirm order details.
6. Submit the order.

Watch the walk-through guide that illustrates how to bulk order bowel cancer screening kits.

Review resources and support materials—Before seeing patients it can help to familiarise yourself with additional materials.

• Help answer bowel cancer screening questions by sharing short videos about completing tests and what's next if they receive a positive result.
• Printed and promotional resources are available from your local health promotion officer or bowel cancer screening contact.
• National Bowel Cancer Screening Program resources for the health sector and general public, including translated resources.

During a patient visit

Issuing kits to patients—It is important to support your patient by discussing the bowel screening program and how to do the screening test. You should use the portal to check if the patient is eligible and either due or overdue to screen.

You must complete and print the online form and provide it to patients when issuing a kit.

1. Log into the Healthcare Provider Portal or if accessing through your clinical software, open the NCSR Hub when in a patient record.
2. Search for patient, checking they are scheduled to screen.
3. Select the form ‘Alternative Access Model (issue/re-issue kit)’ to generate a participant details form.
4. Confirm auto-populated patient details and update if required, including healthcare provider details.
5. Review the participant details form.
6. Submit and print the form.

Give the patient the printed form and kit. Show them where they must write the dates they collect their samples on the vials and form, and where to sign the form before sending.

Patients need to ensure completed samples are kept cool. If the samples are exposed to excessive high temperatures, the test may not be as accurate and a repeat test may be needed. Encourage patients to post in the cooler part of the day or take them directly to the post office.

View the Healthcare Provider Portal walk-through guide on how to issue a bowel cancer screening kit.

Help patients understand bowel screening, what happens and answer their questions, by providing a link to these bowel screening videos.

Explaining follow-up & test results—Results from screening kits can take up to 4 weeks to be mailed to participants and their nominated healthcare provider. You can review patient results within the Healthcare Provider Portal under the 'My correspondence' tab, and also use the portal to check test status and screening history.

Patients who receive a positive bowel cancer screening result can be provided a link to videos that help understand what to do next.