Performance of the screening program

The latest performance indicator data presented in the following pages of this monitoring report have been applied to the 5 incremental stages of the Population Based Screening Framework (Standing Committee on Screening 2018) screening pathway (Figure 3.1).

Figure 3.1: Summary of NBCSP performance indicators for this report, Australia

This flowchart summarises the results for the 5 stages of the population-based screening framework (recruitment, screening, assessment, diagnosis and [assessment] outcomes). These are covered in more detail within the report.


  1. Based on available outcome data which does not include matched cancer incidence data for 2024; therefore, confirmed cancers reported here are an underestimate. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Excludes 45,495 assessments with no record of outcome.

Notes:

  1. The recruitment indicator PI 1 is reported against the 2-year calendar period 2023–2024, with follow-up to June 2025. The screening indicator PI 2 is reported against the year 2024. The assessment and adverse events indicators are reported against the year 2024, with follow-up to December 2025 for assessments and to June 2025 for adverse events. The incidence and mortality rates presented are estimated age-standardised rates for those aged 50–74 in 2025.
  2. Assessment, diagnosis, and outcomes (PIs 3–9) rely on information being reported to the NCSR. As return of NBCSP forms is required (ACSQHC 2020), but not mandated by the NBCSP, there may be incomplete form return and incomplete data. However, Participant follow-up function (PFUF) data are now used to supplement missing colonoscopy form data. See Current reporting limitations for more details.
  3. PI 5a (adenoma detection rate), PI 5b (PPV of diagnostic assessment for detecting adenoma), PI 6a (bowel cancer detection rate), PI 6b (PPV of diagnostic assessment for detecting bowel cancer), PI 7 (interval cancer rate), and PI 8 (cancer clinico-pathological stage distribution) are not reported due to data incompleteness or unavailability. See Current reporting limitations.

Source: AIHW analysis of NCSR as at 31 December 2025 (NCSR raw data extract (RDE) 6/02/2026).Current reporting limitations


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