Millions of women in England who have not attended cervical screening appointments will be sent free at-home testing kits by the NHS, it was announced today. The kits allow women to self-swab for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses linked to nearly all cervical cancers.
How the at-home kits work
Women will use the swab to collect a sample from the vagina, then post it back to NHS laboratories for free. The sample will be tested for high-risk HPV. Around 13 high-risk types of the virus are known to cause 99.7% of cervical cancers.
Campaigners welcomed the move, which is part of a phased rollout. Eligible women aged between 30 and 65 who have not attended screening appointments will be sent invitations from today through the NHS app, text message, email or by letter. They can then order a kit through the NHS app or online.
Why the change is needed
Dr Sue Mann, national clinical director for women's health at NHS England, said: "Screening saves thousands of lives each year by preventing cancers and catching them earlier, but only around two thirds of women are attending cervical screening appointments when invited by the NHS." She called the home kits a "game changer" that will make it easier for women to get tested for HPV.
Latest figures from NHS England show 68.8% of eligible women are up to date with cervical screening, below the 80% target. The health service estimates that around four million women are not up to date.
Personal stories and support
Gem Sofianos-Boorman was diagnosed with cervical cancer at 28 after taking up her cervical screening invite. She said it "was the last thing" she expected, as she was "young, healthy, and had no symptoms". Now 39, she said: "Looking back, I truly believe that going to my screening appointment saved my life. My cancer was found early, which allowed me to have treatment before it spread."
Athena Lamnisos, chief executive at The Eve Appeal, said self-testing "will be a step-change for many", adding: "We have the incredible opportunity to see the back of cervical cancer." Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the kits will be offered to four million women who are behind on screening, calling it "the future NHS we are building". Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said at-home kits "will help more people take part in a way that works for them".
The rollout forms part of the NHS's target of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040. Women aged between 24 and 64 are invited for cervical screening every five years depending on their age, or more often if HPV is detected.
