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Cervical Screening

https://youtu.be/rKWtJZgGF9o

What is Cervical screening (Smear test) and Why do I need one?

Cervical Screening (Smear test) is a free health test available on the NHS as part of the national cervical screening programme. It helps prevent cervical cancer by checking for a virus called high-risk HPV and cervical cell changes. It is not a test for cancer but is a test to help prevent cancer.

Who is invited for a cervical smear screening test?

You should be invited for cervical screening if you have a cervix. The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina. Women are usually born with a cervix. Trans men, non-binary and intersex people may also have one.

In the UK, you are automatically invited for cervical screening if you are:

between the ages of 25 to 64
registered as female with a GP surgery.
You may get your first invite up to 6 months before you turn 25. You can book an appointment as soon as you get the invite.

When will you be invited for cervical screening

You can book an appointment as soon as you get a letter. If you missed your last cervical screening, you do not need to wait for a letter to book an appointment. You’ll get your results by letter, usually in about 2 weeks. It will explain what happens next.

I am worried about the Covid 19 Pandemic 

Please do not delay or avoid coming in for your smear test. During the pandemic, we are continuing to book patients in safely with the practice nurse for their smear test with pre appointment screening for Covid symptoms and/or contact with Covid.

I need a late or weekend appointment

Please let reception know and we can try and accommodate this. Click here to request this Ask the reception a question

Still Unsure/Can’t Decide/Worried? 

Watch this video from an NHS nurse if you are unsure to help you decide https://youtu.be/hXZI84z-SvA

To find out what happens during a smear Test see https://www.jostrust.org.uk/information/cervical-screening/what-happens-during-cervical-screening

When cervical screening is not recommended

 

Women from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community
Annual statistics from the NHS Screening Programme reveal the age and location of women who do not attend screening when invited. However, these statistics are not broken down by ethnic origin. It is widely accepted that people from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background are harder to reach and so less likely to access health programmes. To understand the barriers to screening for BAME women the charity commissioned research with YouGov that looked into cervical screening uptake and knowledge about cervical cancer within BAME communities, and comparing this to responses from white British women.

Key findings include:

  • BAME women were more likely than white women to say they had never attended a screening (12% vs 8%)
  • 70% of Asian women aged 20-65 knew that screening is a test to check cells from the cervix to find pre-cancerous abnormalities against 91% of white women aged 20-65
  • 53% of BAME women aged 55-65 think screening is a necessary health test against 67% of white women aged 55-65
  • Almost half (45%) of white women would be comfortable talking to a male GP about cervical screening but only 28% of BAME women agreed
  • Twice as many BAME women as white women said better knowledge about the test and why it is important would encourage them to attend (30% against 14%)

The survey revealed that there needs to be further education within the BAME community about what cervical screening is and why it is so important. In 2015 Jo’s Trust launched a new video resource called “Your Guide to Cervical Screening (smear test)” which is aimed at raising awareness of cervical screening to women from a BAME background.

Videos and resources in other languages for smear tests can be found here BAME Population and Smear Videos in other languages