NHS Lanarkshire is urging everyone who is eligible to go for their potentially life-saving smear test.
Cervical Cancer Prevention Week begins today, putting a spotlight on the importance of the test.
Celia Briffa-Watt, NHS Lanarkshire Consultant in Public Health, said: “Anyone aged 25 to 64 who’s eligible is invited for cervical screening.
“When it’s your turn, you’ll get a letter asking you to make an appointment with your GP practice. Please don’t ignore your invitation. A smear test can help stop cervical cancer before it starts – it could save your life.
“If you’d feel more comfortable with a female nurse or GP, be sure to mention this when you make your appointment. You can ask to discuss cervical screening with the practice nurse before your appointment or request a double appointment if you think you need a bit longer during your test. You could even take a friend or relative along, too, if you’d prefer.
“If you think your smear test may be overdue, don’t wait for your invitation – you can go along any time.
“Cervical screening checks for the human papilloma virus (HPV) in the cervix, which is the main cause of cervical cancer. It’s the most effective and accurate way of finding out if you’re more likely to develop cervical cancer, and the test only takes around five minutes.
“The HPV vaccine protects against the main causes of cervical cancer, but it doesn’t protect against them all. So even if you think everything’s fine – and you’ve had your HPV vaccine – it’s still important to go for cervical screening.”
There’s a video here: Cervical screening – what to expect at your appointment.
NHS Lanarkshire has created three videos about cervical screening. One is aimed at young women and two are designed for Lanarkshire’s South Asian communities.
- Cervical screening podcast aimed at young women
- Cervical screening podcast for South Asian communities
- Cervical screening lived-experience video for South Asian communities
For full information visit the cervical screening section on the NHS Inform website.
