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Women who have consistently missed offers for cervical screening are to be offered DIY tests in a bid to prevent cases of cervical cancer. 

The initiative, approved by the UK National Screening Committee in March, forms part of NHS England’s broader prevention strategy.

It is expected that the rollout will begin in January next year.

Reaching Those Who Miss Out

The NHS offers cervical screening tests to all women aged 25-64 every 3 years. NHS England announced this month that women aged 25-49 who test negative for human papillomavirus will be invited for cervical screening every 5 years. 

Many people do not take up the offer of testing, with a number citing a lack of time, discomfort, or embarrassment. Data published by the NHS last November showed that five million women are not up to date with routine check-ups.

Now officials have said that at-home kits will be offered to women who have rarely or never attended their cervical screening.

The initiative will see women sent a self-sampling kit in the post which can be returned via pre-paid mail. People who were found to have the HPV virus will be encouraged to attend an in-person appointment with a clinician.

Evidence Base for Policy Shift

Research has suggested that offering DIY testing kits could boost uptake.

The YouScreen trial, led by King’s College London (KCL) in partnership with NHS England, found that offering self-sampling kits to “under-screened” women when they attend their GP practice — and by posting kits to women’s homes — could boost uptake in England by about 400,000 each year.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the new approach could potentially save about 5000 lives a year across England.

It said that the new programme “specifically targets those groups consistently missing vital appointments”. These include younger women, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBT plus people.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “These self-sampling kits represent healthcare that works around people’s lives, not the other way around. They put women firmly in control of their own health, ensuring we catch more cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.”

Dr Anita Lim, chief investigator of the YouScreen trial from KCL, added: “This is a significant step forward for cervical cancer prevention and brings us closer to the NHS goal of eliminating the disease by 2040.”

Michelle Kane, NHS England’s director of screening, added: “There are a number of reasons that stop some women taking up the offer of screening and we hope the introduction of self-testing will encourage more women to take up this life-saving test in a way that works for them.”