Women who don’t come forward for cervical cancer screening will be offered home-testing kits as part of the government’s new 10-year health plan.
The Department of Health and Social Care has said the initiative aims to “revolutionise” cervical cancer prevention rates by helping overcome barriers that prevent some women from having potentially life-saving screenings.
This can include a fear of discomfort, embarrassment, cultural sensitives and the struggle to find time for medical appointments.
Cervical screening, sometimes referred to as a smear test, is a test to check the health of the cervix and help prevent cervical cancer.
The NHS offers it to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 – with those aged between 25 to 49 invited for the checks every three years, and 50 to 64-year-olds every five years.
However, the government has said participation in cervical cancer screening currently sits at just 68.8% – well below the NHS England target of 80%.
This means more than five million women in England are not up to date with their routine check-up.
Experts have now said sending home-testing kits to those who don’t attend their check-ups could increase participation in the screening programme that saves approximately 5,000 lives a year across England.
The self-sample kits will be offered to women who have rarely or never attended their cervical screening.
It will then be sent out in “discreet packaging” that can be returned via prepaid mail.
The self-sample method tests only for the presence of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses that can lead to cervical cancer.
Anyone testing positive for HPV through self-sampling will be encouraged to attend a clinician-taken follow-up cervical screening test to check for cervical cell changes.
The initiative is part of the government’s “10-year health plan”, which is due to be published in the coming weeks.
A woman named only as Gem, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2015, said: “I’ve been cancer-free for years now, but I still live with the aftermath of my diagnosis. I hope that one day we live in a world where cervical cancer is eliminated. With advances in vaccines and screening, I believe that day is getting ever closer.
“For many, though, there are barriers to attending screening. Our everyday lives are busy juggling jobs, family life, and more, which can make attending appointments difficult. But feelings of embarrassment, fear, or unease can also prevent people from going.
“Making it easier for people to access screening they can do at home removes some of those barriers and will, I’m sure, save lives.”
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Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “These self-sampling kits represent healthcare that works around people’s lives, not the other way around. They put women firmly in control of their own health, ensuring we catch more cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.
“Our 10-year health plan will fundamentally reform the NHS, shifting focus from treating illness to preventing it before it starts.
“We know the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better the chances are of survival. By making screening more convenient, we’re tackling the barriers that keep millions of women from potentially life-saving tests.”
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Screening is a powerful tool to prevent cervical cancer and save lives, but we know it isn’t always easy for everyone to take part.
“For some, the test may seem uncomfortable, embarrassing, or simply hard to fit into their lives. That’s why we welcome the UK government’s decision to roll out cervical cancer home screening kits in England – to help remove barriers and make cervical screening more accessible.”
