How we research and write our information

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust aims to provide clear, accurate and accessible information about cervical health, including human papillomavirus (HPV), cell changes (abnormal cells) and cervical cancer for women and other people with a cervix, and the healthcare professionals who support and care for them. We do this by referring to valid and reputable evidence sources, before consulting expert and user reviewers.

To ensure our information remains up-to-date and relevant we aim to carry out a full review every three years, although sometimes this can take longer. In 2023-24 we will be working on reviewing the following sections:

• Cervical screening
• Cervical screening information for health professionals
• Living with cervical cancer.

Where clinically necessary, for example if guidelines change or new treatment becomes available we may update our information more frequently.

We are very grateful to the experts and the people with lived experience who offer their time and knowledge to help develop our information.

If you would like to use our information for your own purpose, please read our editorial policy >

 

Researching our information

Before writing our information, we complete a comprehensive literature search. We focus on UK or European medical information sources and guidelines, as practice can differ between countries. We also consult other reputable websites and resources, such as those provided by the NHS and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). This allows us to identify gaps or areas of best practice.

We only use current, authoritative, relevant, and trustworthy evidence sources, including:

• UK or European current health and cancer guidelines — such as the European Society of Gynecology (ESG), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and NICE
• Medical practice guidelines published by relevant UK medical bodies — such as the British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (BSCCP) and the Royal Colleges
• Trusted reports — such as those from UK Public Health organisations and the World Health Organization (WHO)
• Peer reviewed literature via searches of PubMed and NICE evidence.

When assessing the reliability of evidence, we use checklists developed by the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP).

Read more about CASP >

 

Referencing

Each information page has an expandable box at the bottom for thanks and references. These show the most relevant references for the information on that specific page.

If more references were used to produce the information than are listed in the box, we include the following statement: ‘We write our information based on literature searches and expert review. For more information about all the references we used, please contact [email protected]’

 

Writing our information

Our information is written by our Information and Engagement team who are experienced in producing accurate and accessible information. They are trained to meet the Plain English standard and best practice in writing health information.

No member of our Information and Engagement team is permitted to provide favoured treatment to any partner organisation. All team members must also fully disclose any financial or other interests they may have in any healthcare-related companies or organisations.

 

Expert review

To confirm that our information is accurate and reflects the best evidence available at the time of writing, it is reviewed by healthcare professionals, as well as non-medical professionals, who are experts in their field.

A minimum of two experts are consulted for each information piece to ensure it is objective and impartial. If views differ, or no scientific consensus can be found, our information reflects all significant opinions and states the uncertainty clearly.

 

User review

Our information is also reviewed by people affected by cell changes or cervical cancer, or those with experience relevant to the topic. This is to make sure it is as relevant and accessible as possible.

Read more about our Jo's Voices user reviewer volunteers >

 

Internal review

Our information is approved by our Head of Information and Engagement or another member of the Senior Leadship Team, to ensure it follows Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s branding, editorial and tone guidelines.

Read more about our management team >

 

Awards and recognition

We have been recognised by the British Medical Association (BMA), Plain English Campaign, and Quality in Care Programme for our information. We were also awarded First Prize in Screening for our resources for survivors of sexual violence at the BMA 2019 Patient Information Awards.

Read more about our awards >

 

Contact us

If you have any feedback on our health information, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us via email at [email protected].

If you would like Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to link to your website, please read our website linking policy >