A system to reduce anxiety for women with abnormal smear test results has been introduced at a Middlesbrough hospital.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust claims the new direct referral system, at the colposcopy unit at the James Cook University Hospital, has cut waiting times for women who are called back after a smear test.

The unit's nurse colposcopist Denise Appelby said: "The average waiting time for an appointment used to be round about 13 weeks.

"All patients are now seen within four to six weeks of the smear being reported. Urgent appointments are seen within two weeks and the maximum for everyone is six weeks - two weeks within the national guidelines of eight weeks."

The system means GPs no longer have to send a letter to the unit requesting an appointment for a patient with an abnormal smear result.

"That is quite a cumbersome route," said consultant gynaecological oncologist Derek Cruickshank. "With direct referral, the idea is to try to reduce this to an absolute minimum. Under the new system, once the smear has been read and warrants a referral, the smear report is handed over to the colposcopy service and an appointment is generated within 24 hours of the report being read."

GPs are informed about abnormal results 48 hours before patients are told, to ensure they can deal with any anxious queries women might have.