Cervical screening knowledge gap 'costing lives'

A knowledge gap around cervical screenings is currently "costing lives", a cancer charity says.

The Eve Appeal says more women need to know they can ask for adjustments to their cervical screenings, which can be painful, uncomfortable or distressing for some.

The test is thought to save about 5,000 lives every year in the UK, but many women do not get tested.

Research commissioned by the charity suggests most women do not know they can make the test easier by asking for longer appointments, smaller speculums, or move to more comfortable positions.

According to latest NHS England data, more than five million eligible women are not up to date , external with their routine screening, with the lowest uptake being among women aged between 25 and 29 (58%).

Eve Appeal chief executive Athena Lamnisos said this was "worrying" and that any barriers people experience around the screenings could be "easily overcome".

"There are really simple, straightforward things that you can ask for that patients just aren't aware of....basically, you can take control."

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Source: BBC News, 20 January 2025

Further reading on the hub:

• Top picks: Six resources about improving access to cervical screening