A13 Time to colposcopy

Table A13.1: Proportion of participants who had a colposcopy within 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 26 weeks, by screening or follow-up result, participants aged 25–74, 2023

Time to colposcopy (weeks)

Screening 
 HPV 16/18

Screening HPV (not 16/18) + high-grade/ glandular LBC

First follow-up HPV 16/18 + any LBC or 

HPV (not 16/18) + high-grade/ glandular LBC

Second follow-up any HPV

Total

4

3,273

490

629

1,459

5,851

8

6,919

1,265

1,555

3,057

12,796

12

9,527

1,698

2,362

4,533

18,120

26

12,861

2,110

3,673

7,238

25,882

Not performed

3,030

251

7,175

4,589

15,045

4

20.6

20.8

5.8

12.3

14.3

8

43.5

53.6

14.3

25.8

31.3

12

60.0

71.9

21.8

38.3

44.3

26

80.9

89.4

33.9

61.2

63.2

Not performed

19.1

10.6

66.1

38.8

36.8

Data for time to colposcopy to 26 weeks are cumulative; data for ‘not performed’ are not cumulative. 

Note: Participants whose first follow-up HPV test result was oncogenic HPV (not 16/18) and whose reflex LBC test result was a negative or low-grade are managed as higher risk instead of intermediate risk if they are 2 or more years overdue for screening, identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or aged 50 or over.

Source: AIHW analysis of NCSR data (NCSR RDE 11/07/2025).

Table A13.2: Time to colposcopy in median days, by screening or follow-up result, by age, 2023

Age group

Screening 
 HPV 16/18

Screening HPV (not 16/18) + high-grade/ glandular LBC

First follow-up HPV 16/18 + any LBC or 

HPV (not 16/18) + high-grade/ glandular LBC

Second follow-up any HPV

Total

25–29

67

55

425

94

117

30–34

66

52

153

97

86

35–39

64

52

127

103

79

40–44

58

50

116

96

70

45–49

60

47

104

94

69

50–54

58

48

89

93

64

55–59

61

46

99

97

70

60–64

60

43

87

90

68

65–69

63

44

90

81

69

70–74

60

42

82

81

63

25–74

61

51

181

95

79

Note: Participants whose first follow-up HPV test result was oncogenic HPV (not 16/18) and whose reflex LBC test result was a negative or low-grade are managed as higher risk instead of intermediate risk if they are 2 or more years overdue for screening, identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or aged 50 or over.

Source: AIHW analysis of NCSR data (NCSR RDE 11/07/2025).

Table A13.3: Time to colposcopy in median days, by screening or follow-up result, by state and territory, participants aged 25–74, 2023

State and territory

Screening 
 HPV 16/18

Screening HPV (not 16/18) + high-grade/ glandular LBC

First follow-up HPV 16/18 + any LBC or 

HPV (not 16/18) + high-grade/ glandular LBC

Second follow-up any HPV

Total

NSW

55

47

126

88

72

Vic

62

58

156

92

79

Qld

62

47

245

99

80

WA

65

56

333

109

90

SA

78

51

230

108

91

Tas

67

54

299

113

92

ACT

54

47

311

90

79

NT

84

62

423

118

99

Australia

61

51

181

95

79

Note: Participants whose first follow-up HPV test result was oncogenic HPV (not 16/18) and whose reflex LBC test result was a negative or low-grade are managed as higher risk instead of intermediate risk if they are 2 or more years overdue for screening, identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or aged 50 or over.

Source: AIHW analysis of NCSR data (NCSR RDE 11/07/2025).

Table A13.4: Time to colposcopy in median days, by year, participants aged 25–74, 2018 to 2023

Year

Number

2018

57

2019

69

2020

65

2021

73

2022

87

2023

79

Source: AIHW analysis of NCSR data (NCSR RDE 11/07/2025).