Public health engagement

Our Public Health Engagement services aim to increase awareness of cervical cancer and uptake of cervical screening.

Why is this important?

Cervical cancer is largely preventable with cervical screening protecting against 75% from developing. Every year in the UK an estimated 5,000 lives are saved through the national cervical screening programme (also known as a smear test), yet despite this, attendance is falling.

Increasing cervical screening coverage is vital if we want to prevent cervical cancer and save lives.

Public Health Engagement Coordinators

Our Public Health Engagement Coordinators work to improve screening coverage by providing training and working with healthcare professionals, recruiting community volunteers and engaging directly with community groups.

Our focus is on the following groups where research shows attendance of cervical screening is poor:

• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Women
• Women aged 25-29
• Women aged 50-64
• Women with learning disabilities
• Women from areas of deprivation

Where will this work be carried out?

We currently have funding for three Public Health Engagement coordinators based in London, Manchester and Glasgow.

What are we doing and what can we offer?

To the community

We can offer short awareness sessions tailored to the needs of community groups and contribute to local events.

To volunteers

We can offer opportunities for volunteers to raise awareness of cervical cancer prevention in their communities by talking to people, delivering awareness sessions and information stands at health events. We also have opportunities for you to volunteer in GP practices. To find out more please click here.

To GPs & Health Care Professionals

We can offer a range of interventions to support GP practices to improve their screening coverage including:

• Consultation to understand screening trends and potential barriers to screening
• Information stands
• Drop in well-woman clinics for women who are overdue for screening
• Support to promote smear amnesty/out of hours clinics to target groups of interest

Get in touch

If you wish to get involved or simply want to find out more please contact our Public Health Engagement Coordinators.

If you have a cervical screening project which deserves recognition, enter our Cervical screening awards!