Thousands of women in Lincolnshire who have not attended cervical screening appointments will be offered a home HPV testing kit as part of a national scheme. The NHS said it was providing self-testing kits to encourage women to take part in screening to detect human papillomavirus (HPV), which can increase the risk of cervical cancer. Dr Dave Briggs from NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) said 73% of eligible women were up to date with their cervical screening in the county, which was below the national target.
Women who are eligible will receive invitations via the NHS App, text message, email or letter, and can order a free kit through the NHS App or an NHS online account. The health authority said data from March 2024 showed that approximately 53,000 eligible women in Lincolnshire were not up to date with cervical screening. The tests help prevent cervical cancer by checking for high-risk types of HPV, a common virus that can cause changes to cells in the cervix, which can usually be treated before cancer develops.
The self-testing kits contain a swab for collecting a sample that is then posted back free of charge for analysis. If high-risk HPV is found, women will be contacted to book a follow-up cervical screening appointment at their GP practice. A clinician would then take another sample to check for any changes to cells.
Source: BBC
