What adjustments can you ask for at your cervical screening?

News - 21 January 2025

For Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, we are supporting the Eve Appeal to raise awareness of what adaptations women and people with a cervix can ask for during their screening to make the appointment more comfortable.

This Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (20-26 January) we’re sharing different tips that can help make your cervical screening easier and more comfortable. 

Cervical screening is a test offered to women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 to help prevent cervical cancer. It saves 5000 lives a year in the UK. But, the number of people going for their screening is going down. 1 in 3 didn’t go when invited in 2023-2024 (36%). 

 

Cervical screening looks for HPV (the virus which causes nearly all cervical cancers) and any changes to the cells which can then be treated or monitored to prevent them developing into cancer.

Cervical cancer is almost wholly preventable. In 2023 NHS England set themselves the goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040. To meet this goal we need to help every person who is eligible and wants to be screened, to get booked in and attend.  

Eve Appeal found a lack of knowledge of some steps and adaptations women and people with a cervix can ask for during their cervical screening appointment to make the appointment easier and more comfortable.

The Eve Appeal's survey (YouGov January 2025) found that:

  • 1 in 2 (56%) weren’t aware that they could ask for their cervical screening test to stop at any point
  • 3 in 4 (77%) weren’t aware that they could ask for a smaller size speculum 
  • 1 in 10 (12%) knew they could book a double appointment for more time for their screening test
  • 1 in 10 (11%) knew they could ask to try a different position for their cervical screening like the left lateral position
     

Tips for your cervical screening from The Eve Appeal: 

Cervical screening isn’t easy for everybody. But there are things you can do to help make the appointment more comfortable, and we want everyone to be aware of these.

  • Asking for a smaller speculum 
  • Booking a double appointment 
  • Asking to bring a friend, family member, or carer with you for support 
  • Listening to an audiobook, podcast or music  
  • Asking if you can try a different position for cervical screening 
  • Asking for information on cervical screening in Easy Read or in your preferred language  
  • Asking for a female nurse or doctor to take your cervical screening 

Read more on cervical screening

Cervical screening can also be booked with your GP surgery and some sexual health clinics. 

For information about the cervical screening drop-in service in Halton visit: The Living Well Service: Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

For more information about the NHS cervical screening programme visit the NHS website visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/
 

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