Cervical Screening Week: Women urged to get their smear test as uptake falls in Bedford

Fewer women have received cervical tests in Bedford, figures show.

And with Cervical Screening Awareness Week running all this week – a cancer charity is urging women to get tested and share their experiences with others.

Cervical screenings, also known as smear tests, are offered to women aged 25 to 49 every three years, while those aged 50 to 64 receive their invitations every five years. A small sample of cells is taken and checked for pre-cancerous abnormalities and viruses such as HPV, which can lead to cancer.

Figures from NHS England show, as of December, 35,722 women across both age groups in Bedford had been screened within that time frame.

This was 67.6% of the 52,839 eligible – with the screening rate falling from 69.1% a year before.

This also means 6,550 more need to be screened to hit the Government's target rate of 80%.

Samantha Dixon, CEO of Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, said: "Through screening we have the opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer – yet coverage has been in decline for the last 20 years, and alarmingly, has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

"Raising awareness during Cervical Screening Awareness Week can help spread support and understanding.

"However, to address the barriers affecting screening rates we need a step change from government to make it more accessible to women."

Numbers have dropped precipitously over the coronavirus pandemic – across England, the rate for those aged 25 to 49 fell from 70.7% in at the end of 2019 to 66.4% at the end of 2022.

For those in the older age category, the rate dropped from 76.4% to 74.7% over the same period – although this was only a 0.1% decrease from 2021.

Every area in England had a fall during the pandemic – in Bedford the overall screening rate was 71.4% at the end of 2019.

Speaking in January, the national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, Professor Peter Johnson, said: "Screening is an effective way to prevent cervical cancer developing or to catch it at a very early stage, which is why it is especially important that people attend their screening appointments.

"There are lots of reasons why somebody might not want to come forward – embarrassment, inconvenience, or uncertainty – but please speak to a healthcare professional if you are unsure."

"It’s also important to understand that HPV can remain undetected for many years before later going on to cause abnormal cells which can lead to cancer, so even if you’ve previously had a negative test, it is vital that you attend your next one," he urged.