Local campaigns win top national awards for boosting life-saving test numbers
Thousands of women across the country have been encouraged to take up a life-saving test thanks to campaigns today honoured in the first-ever Cervical Screening Awards run by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
With around three women dying each day from cervical cancer but latest figures showing rising numbers not turning up to be screened for the disease, the UK’s only dedicated cervical cancer charity launched the awards to find the best local initiatives looking to boost awareness and uptake.
Robert Music, Director of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said: “One in five women nationally are not taking up their invitation to attend a five minute test that could mean the difference between life and death. For women under 35 that figure is even worse, with one in three not attending.
“We know how crucial it is to be more targeted with cervical screening awareness and that there is fantastic, high-quality work doing just that, making a real difference to women in local communities. We wanted to reward that as well as highlight it, so others could take it back to their own part of the country.”
Professor Julietta Patnick, CBE, Director of the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes commented: “These awards had some very strong contenders who were running innovative and targeted awareness programmes in their local areas, aiming to significantly boost screening uptake.
“Screening is estimated to save 4,500 lives in England already and local campaigns and activities play a very important part in this.
“Cervical cancer is a largely preventable disease and all the entrants’ efforts to increase accessibility and understanding among, for example, hard-to-reach or younger women, may well save lives.”
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust Screening Awards Winner 2010:
Nilli Williamson, Primary Care Commissioning Manager at NHS Salford for an outstanding campaign to raise awareness, improve access and provide services sensitive to culture, religion, language and disability.
Highly Commended: Julie Grimmer, Cancer Collaborative Programme Manager at The Early Presentation of Cancer Symptoms Programme, North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus for ‘Late For Your Date’, using effective strategies to target low-uptake 25-34 year old women
Highly Commended: Coleen Baxendale, Community Health Action Team for Learning Disabilities, Doncaster for achieving high standards in enabling women with learning disabilities to learn more about cervical cancer screening and in providing targeted support for accessing services
For more information contact Elizabeth Udall, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust on 07515 852690 or elizabethudall@btinternet.com
Notes For Editors
The Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust Cervical Screening Awards were launched in June 2010 during Cervical Screening Awareness Week. Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust –www.jostrust.org.uk - is the UK’s only dedicated cervical cancer charity offering support and information for those affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities. The judging panel included: Julietta Patrick, Director, NHS Cancer Screening Programmes; Tim Elliott, Team Leader, Cancer Screening and Male Cancers at the Department of Health; Maggie Luck, Screening Coordinator, Public Health, Camden PCT, Robert Music, Director, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust
An NHS Information Centre report in October 2010, showed that although coverage had remained steady at 78.9% only 3.3 million women aged 25-64 in England took up their cervical screening invitation in 2009-10 compared to the previous year’s peak of 3.6 million (a rise in cervical screening rates for the first time in almost a decade, attributed to the ‘Jade Goody Effect’).
Around three women in the UK die each day from cervical cancer, with someone being diagnosed every three hours facing an uncertain future. Over 300,000 women a year are told they may have a cervical abnormality that could require treatment.
It is estimated that the NHS Cervical Screening Programme saves 4,500 lives every year.
Cervical cancer is predominantly caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which can be caught as soon as you start having intimate relationships
Last updated: 06/12/2010
