The London Cervical Screening campaign has been running across the capital since February, with a particular focus on areas with low uptake, including Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Camden, Lambeth, Southwark and Tower Hamlets.
London has the lowest cervical screening coverage in England with 62.2% of those eligible taking up the offer of screening in 2021 – a decrease from 64.7% in 2020 and far from the target standard of 80%. As of March 2021, no London local authority met the 80% target.
On average, 312 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in London each year. This equates to 1 woman dying every 5 days from cervical cancer in London. If everyone attended their screening regularly over 83% of cervical cancer cases could be prevented.
Dr Jane Fryer, Medical Director, NHS London said:
“Life can be hectic and it’s easy to let your cervical screening appointment fall to the bottom of your ‘to do’ list, but it only lasts a few minutes – it’s a few minutes that could save your life. If you have received your appointment letter, don’t ignore it, make sure you book your appointment with your GP.”
Beth, 27 from Brixton, said: “After receiving an HPV positive result from my first cervical screening, I was told that I would need to come back for another in one year’s time. I wasn’t sure what this meant for me and didn’t know if I should be embarrassed or worried about the result. Speaking with my nurse and friends helped put my mind at rest – I had no idea that HPV was such a common virus, and that most people will get some form of it in their lives. When my nurse told me that cervical screening prevents cancer, rather than just testing for it, I realised how vital it was to attend my 1-year review. ”
The London cervical screening campaign aims to reduce inequalities in cervical screening by focusing on areas with the lowest coverage and those populations less likely to participate in London.
