The federal Department of Health is targeting December 1 as the new start date for the HPV-based cervical cancer screening test following the delay in the roll-out of the National Cancer Screening Register, being built by Telstra Health.

Australia's chief medical officer Brendan Murphy has today moved to allay fears that the pathology sector will not be able to cope with current demand for Pap smear tests after May 1, announcing that the department had reached an agreement with pathology providers to continue to provide access to the current test and to supplement it with liquid-based cytology – also known as the thin prep Pap test – which will be covered by a new MBS item number.