Cervical cancer is largely preventable yet we are seeing increased numbers diagnosed along with fewer women accessing cervical screening. Looking to and beyond the general election in 2015 we have laid out our key priorities in a manifesto which outlines our bold ambition to reduce the numbers of women diagnosed over the next five years.

The manifesto sets out three clear objectives:

1. Cervical cancer prevention and support must be a priority on the next government’s agenda
2. We know that cervical cancer could be eradicated in the UK and we want to make this happen. No woman should die from cervical cancer
3. By increasing our efforts by the end of 2020, we hope to see a 10 per cent reduction in incidence and mortality from cervical cancer

For a sustained period of time there has been a downward trend in screening uptake which is a major concern and one which we must address urgently. In 2014, 22.2 per cent of those eligible failed to attend screening when invited. In particular we are very concerned about the first and last screening age groups. For women aged 25-29 one in three does not attend and for women aged 60-64 screening uptake is lower than it was in 1997. Additionally, the 55-59 age group has seen a dramatic decrease in screening uptake from a peak of 81.4 per cent in 2002 to 74.8 per cent today, alongside a significant increase in the incidence of cervical cancer. There is an urgent need to turn this around.

View and download a copy of our Manifesto here