Summary
The evaluation was commissioned to inform the future direction and approach of Screening Support Services.
Screening support services assist people in priority groups to have access to and participate in regular cervical and breast screening by providing wrap around support, such as providing transport to appointments. Priority groups are defined as Māori, Pacific, Asian and those who are unscreened or under-screened.
The Ministry funds 12 screening support services in selected areas of Aotearoa New Zealand and annually invests approximately $3.5m in these services.
The report found that overall, screening support services are working well and are enabling people, who otherwise may not have been screened, to access screening services. However, the report acknowledges that these services operate within a broader context and notes that breast and cervical screening services are not currently meeting the needs of Māori, Pacific, and Asian people.
The report identifies the importance of making broader systemic changes across breast and cervical screening services to meet Te Tiriti obligations and to make services more equitable.