Women in Kirklees urged to have their smear tests as more than one in five do not attend
The latest statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)[i] has alarmingly revealed that more than one in five (23%) of women aged 25-64 in Kirklees are not booking in and turning up to a smear test.
The data also finds that women in the older age group (50-64) are less likely to attend, as 81.4% attended in 2014 falling to 80.8% in 2015. This Cervical Screening Awareness Week (Monday 13th June to Friday 19th June 2016) NHS North Kirklees and NHS Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are urging all women to pick up the phone when they receive an appointment letter and book their smear test in – it could save their life.
Dr David Kelly, Chair of NHS North Kirklees CCG and local GP said: “We want to increase the understanding about cervical screening and how vital it is for women to have regular smear tests because these tests really can save lives.
“Women have no need to be embarrassed by the tests which are quick and painless. A simple smear test enables women to receive treatment before it is too late, preventing unnecessary deaths. So our message is clear: don’t ignore your smear test.”
As part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme, women aged 25-49 are invited to attend cervical screening (or a smear test) at their GP practice every three years, and women aged 50-64 are invited to attend every five years. Cervical screening isn’t a test for cancer; it’s a test to check the health of the cells of the cervix (the entrance to the womb). Most women’s test results show that everything is normal, but for around 1 in 20 women the test shows some abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix.
The symptoms of cervical cancer aren’t always obvious, and it may not cause any symptoms at all until it’s reached an advanced stage. This is why it’s very important for women to attend all of their cervical screening appointments.
Dr Steve Ollerton, Clinical Leader, NHS Greater Huddersfield CCG and local GP said: “It is crucial that you attend your cervical screening appointment when invited. One of the biggest risk factors for developing cervical cancer is not going for a cervical screening test.”
Dr Yasmin Khan – Associate Medical Director, NHS England – North (Yorkshire and the Humber) said: “Every year in the UK, over 3,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 35 and under.
“We know that having a smear test can feel like a bit of an embarrassing prospect, but the test only takes three minutes and you really can’t put a price on being proactive and preventative about your own health.
“It’s actually estimated that early detection and treatment through cervical screening can prevent up to 75% of cervical cancers from developing in the UK. Therefore we want to urge all women who are eligible to attend their smear when they are invited, or book one if they’ve missed their last smear test by calling their GP and ensure they stay healthy.”
Robert Music, Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “Over 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year in the UK and every day we see the devastating impact a diagnosis has on women, their family and friends.
“It is estimated that the cervical screening programme saves around 4,500 lives a year in England so it is very concerning to see that uptake in West Yorkshire has decreased across every age group. I urge all eligible women in the area to take up their screening invitation when invited, it could save their life and take us closer to a future free from cervical cancer.”
For more information about the NHS Cervical Screening Programme visit www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cervical-screening-test
For more information about cervical cancer and symptoms visit Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s website www.jostrust.org.uk
[i] http://www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-Search?productid=19239&q=cervical+screening&sort=Relevance&size=10&page=1&area=both#top
Uptake in 25-64 age group for West Yorkshire areas
| Area | 2013-2014 (%) | 2014-2015 (%) |
| Leeds | 75 | 74.5 |
| Bradford | 72.3 | 71.9 |
| Calderdale | 78.2 | 77.8 |
| Wakefield | 75.6 | 75.4 |
| Kirklees | 76.9 | 76.8 |
Uptake in 25-49 age group for West Yorkshire areas
| Area | 2013-2014 (%) | 2014-2015 (%) |
| Leeds | 72.9 | 72.7 |
| Bradford | 69.4 | 69.2 |
| Calderdale | 76.8 | 76.7 |
| Wakefield | 74.1 | 74 |
| Kirklees | 74.9 | 75 |
Uptake in 50-64 age group for West Yorkshire areas
| Area | 2013-2014 (%) | 2014-2015 (%) |
| Leeds | 80.6 | 79.2 |
| Bradford | 79.7 | 78.6 |
| Calderdale | 81 | 80 |
| Wakefield | 78.9 | 78.1 |
| Kirklees | 81.4 | 80.8 |
