NHS England announces a significant change in its cervical screening programme in time for Cervical Screening Awareness Week!
Cervical Screening Awareness Week aims to highlight the importance of regular cervical screening, as part of the fight to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) target.
Around the world, every two minutes, a woman dies from cervical cancer, and even here in the UK, two women a day die from this entirely preventable disease.
Despite this, one in every three women fails to take up their invitation to attend a screening appointment; however, early detection of cell changes through screening can prevent up to 75% of cases.
So, this week, Soroptimists will be continuing with their efforts to prevent cervical cancer by being out and about in their communities, speaking to women and raising awareness of the need to take up that all-important cervical screening appointment.
What isn’t widely known is that it was a female Scottish physician and cytologist, Janet Elizabeth MacGregor, who, in 1960, pioneered the first successful screening trial programme for cervical cancer in the UK. Her work helped lead to a significant decrease in women’s deaths from cervical cancer.
In 1963, the British Medical Journal stated that ‘cervical cytology has now passed beyond the experimental stage – that cervical cancer could largely be prevented by cytological detection and treatment of a pre-invasive stage’.
The next transformational discovery occurred in 1983/84, when Nobel Laureate in Medicine Harald Zur Hausen detected human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical cancers.
It’s now understood that HPV is responsible for nearly all cervical cancers, so since 2019, all cervical screening samples taken in England have been tested for high-risk HPV, which is more accurate than the previous method of cytology testing (known as a ‘smear test’).
Currently in England, women are invited for routine cervical screening every three years between the ages of 25 and 49, then every five years until they are 64. In Scotland and Wales, the screening intervals have already changed for all ages to be invited every five years.
NHS England has announced that from 1 July 2025, all women of screening age (25-64) will be invited every five years in England, unless they are at a greater risk of cervical cancer because of high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and or cell changes, when they will be seen more often.
The move follows a recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee, as a result of research led by King’s College London, which showed that 5-yearly screening is as safe as three-yearly, that the same number of cancers are found, and less frequent cervical screening tests are needed.
Studies have shown that if a person tests negative for HPV, they are extremely unlikely to go on to develop cervical cancer within the next decade, leading to the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to offer more personalised intervals for women based on their risk.
In 2024, the NHS introduced a new digital system in England, and this week has rolled out invitations and reminders for cervical screening via the NHS App, as part of a new ‘ping and book’ service to boost uptake and help save thousands of lives.
Eligible women will first receive a notification through the App, to alert them to book a screening appointment, followed by a text message if the App notification isn’t opened. Letters will remain in place for those who need them.
Dr Sue Mann, NHS National Clinical Director for Women’s Health has said ‘The NHS is following robust evidence on how women need to be safely screened, and by putting invitations and reminders straight in women’s pockets on their phones, we’re making it easier than ever to take up screening appointments’.
‘Taking a more personalised approach to cervical screening will help ensure everyone eligible can make the most of these life-saving services, while sparing women appointments that they don’t need.’