Past Webinars

Female Genital Mutilation: Identifying and Supporting FGM Survivors within CervicalCheck

Date: 10 September 2024

Speaker: Ms Hope Turner: Migrant Women's Health Officer

Aim: To promote understanding and management of FGM

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop a nuanced understanding of sociocultural factors influencing attitudes, beliefs, and practices related to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) within diverse communities.
• Gain proficiency in the classification and diagnosis of FGM, including the various types and their clinical presentation.
• Explore the health consequences and symptoms associated with FGM, understanding both immediate and long-term implications for physical and mental health.
• Learn how to conduct supportive consultations with individuals affected by FGM, fostering empathy, trust, and effective communication.
• Understand the referral pathway for individuals affected by FGM, including access to specialised healthcare services, support organisations, and community resources.
• Examine the integration of cervical screening within the context of FGM healthcare, recognising the importance of tailored approaches and considerations.
• Learn best practices for navigating the sensitive issues of disclosure, diagnosis, and documentation in cases involving FGM, ensuring confidentiality, dignity, and respect for individuals' experiences and rights.

Recognising the link between Cervical Cancer and smoking and offering referral pathways

Date: Tuesday 04 June 2024

Speaker: Dr Paul Kavanagh, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, Public Health Adviser to HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme

Aim: To provide insights into the various processes, procedures, and quality controls involved in transforming a screening sample into a final result within the cervical screening quality-assured laboratory.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the link between tobacco smoking and a higher risk of developing cell changes and cervical cancer
• Understand how smoking weakens the immune system response to HR-HPV infection and the effect of the various toxins within cigarettes on cervical cells
• Understand the key recommendations contained within the new NCEC Stop Smoking Clinical Guideline, the referral pathway to stop smoking services and what support intensive stop smoking services provide.

Expertise from Colposcopy: A deep dive into the cervix

Date: Tuesday 02 July 2024

Speaker: Dr Matt Hewitt, Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Cork University Maternity Hospital

Aim: To understand the management of cervical anomalies and their appropriate referral pathways.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the cervix.
• Enhance the ability to differentiate between a normal cervix and various anomalies, empowering effective identification and evaluation of cervical health.
• Acquire knowledge of the optimal referral pathway and management strategies for cervical anomalies, ensuring timely and appropriate interventions.
• Cultivate proficiency in recognising signs indicative of potential cervical malignancy, enabling prompt and accurate referrals to colposcopy.
• Gain expertise in identifying red flag symptoms and adhering to guideline recommendations for referrals, facilitating expedited access to diagnostic testing and subsequent interventions when necessary.
• Foster awareness of local gynaecological and colposcopy services, promoting utilisation of available resources and support networks to enhance patient care and outcomes.

Sample to result: The journey of a screening sample inside the Screening Laboratory

Date: Monday 20th May 2024

Speaker: Aisling O’Connor, Laboratory Manager, National Cervical Screening Laboratory

Aim: To provide insights into the various processes, procedures, and quality controls involved in transforming a screening sample into a final result within the cervical screening quality-assured laboratory.

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the step-by-step process that a screening sample undergoes within the screening laboratory, from collection to analysis, including sample preparation, handling, and testing
• To be aware of the quality assurance standards associated with a sample from arrival to result
• To understand the role of automation and technology in modern screening laboratories, showcasing how these advancements streamline the sample-to-result process, enhance efficiency, and reduce human error
• Understanding the common challenges and potential issues that may arise during the sample processing journey.

Empowering Sample Takers - Using CervicalCheck Statistics to Inform the Consultation

Date: 7 May 2024

Speakers:

• Prof Nóirín Russell, CervicalCheck Clinical Director
• Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon, CervicalCheck Primary Care Advisor
• A distinguished panel of experts from within CervicalCheck

Aim: To support sample takers to understand screening data, enabling them to integrate this information into their consultations.

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the screening data from the CervicalCheck Report 2020-2022.
• Consider the prevalence of HPV positivity in the Irish population and the risk of CIN/cervical cancer in screened women.
• Understand the rates of referral to colposcopy and the likely outcomes there.
• Discover strategies to utilise this data for effective communication in the screening consultation, providing reassurance and guidance to women choosing cervical screening.