Cervical Cancer Screening

Information for Healthcare Professionals, Patients, and Resources

Cervical Screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix. It's not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer. All people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 in England are eligible. If you are eligible and registered with a GP (as female) you will automatically receive an invitation by mail. 

Trans men do not receive an invitation if registered as male with their GP but are still entitled to screening if they have a cervix.    Public Health England on reducing cervical screening inequalities for trans people Click here. 

Your first invitation is sent to eligible people at the age of 24.5. People aged 25 to 49 receive invitations every 3 years. People aged 50 to 64 receive invitations every 5 years. 

For full details please see NHS Cervical Screening Programme (CSP) Click here

The female lifetime screening pathway video is available in 10 different languages Click here  

Gov. uk has ideas for improving access and uptake in cervical screening, Click here 

Cervical screening looks for the human papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause abnormal cells on the cervix. If HPV is found a cytology test is used as a triage, to check for abnormal cells. If no abnormal cells are found, a follow-up screen is arranged for 12 months' time. This will check to see if the immune system has cleared the virus. 

Most HPV infections are transient, and slightly abnormal cells often go away on their own when the virus clears. If HPV persists, abnormal cells can, if left untreated, turn into cancer over time. 

The HPV vaccination programme started in 2008. Vaccinated individuals should still take up offers of cervical screening, as the vaccine does not protect against all subtypes of HPV, for more information click here. 

The Cervical Screening – Information for Professionals on Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust (Click here) provides a wealth of information including: (Click the area in bold to be redirected to their website). 

• Advice if you are planning an information stand for your community group
• Patient information.
• Resources and case studies
• Blogs and access videos for people in English and other languages
• Tips for communicating with patients about cervical screening
• Overcoming barriers to cervical screening (Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust) – this page provides common reasons why cervical screening can be difficult for patients, with practical ideas on ‘what you can do’ to support patients to overcome these barriers.
• Cervical screening when you are visually impaired – Blog (Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust) – Here you can hear from a patient who is registered blind about her experience of cervical screening appointments, her recommendations to other visually impaired patients, and to doctors and nurses so that appointments are easier.
• Cervical screening when deaf – Blog (Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust) – Here you can hear from 2 deaf patients about their experiences of cervical screening and colposcopy appointments and their top tips to make the appointment easier.
• For guidance on supporting patients to make informed decisions, click here. 
• Information for healthcare professionals who are supporting patients through HPV, cervical screening, colposcopy, and cervical cancer.
• Cervical Screening and Femail Genital Mutilation (FGM), the impact FGM can have on the experience of cervical screening, to read more click here.

CRUK 

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has a wealth of information about cervical screening and a professional's page click here. 

The Cervical Screening Good Practice Guide (CRUK) includes details of tried and tested interventions that could be used in practice, to support people to access cervical cancer screening.

If you would like to support your patients to make an informed decision about cervical screening, you can find some useful links below:

• ‘what cervical screening is’ and what happens along the whole cervical screening pathway click here to read more. 
• Jo's Trust has a patent information page click here. For information for people with a learning disability click here, for support for people after sexual violence click here, and for support for trans men and/ or non-binary click here. 
• Jo's Trust has a video that explains HPV, who can get it, what it means and how people can reduce their risk click here. 
• For information to support eligible people with learning disabilities click here and for an easy-read invitation letter template click here. 
• Jos Trust has a video for people with a learning disability click here. 
• Leaflets are available for people considering screening, these are sent to all who are invited for screening, they are also available in different languages click here. 
• For advice for lesbian and bisexual women click here.
• LGBTQ+ people and Cancer Booklet have information about, navigating healthcare, cancer, screening, and treatment click here. 
• People can fill out a checklist to highlight why they might need extra support, click here. 
• For guidance for people who find it hard to attend cervical screening due to having mental health conditions, or have experienced trauma or abuse click here. 
• CRUK has a wealth of information about cervical screening, including an animated video, that you can share with patients click here. 
• You can also direct people who cannot read or do not like written words to the Beyond Words cervical screening picture story, which includes a suggested storyline for family members, carers or health professionals to refer to click here.
• Gov UK also has support available for professionals click here.