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Wed, 23/11/2011 - 00:00
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust brought together leading figures from health and politics at a major Scottish Parliament event on the 22nd Novemver calling for urgent action on a preventable disease claiming three lives every day in the UK.
Every three hours a woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer and although cervical screening saves around 5,000 lives in the UK each year, one in five women in Scotland does not go for this vital test.
A YouGov survey for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, the UK’s only charity dedicated to those affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities, revealed that a lack of flexibility by employers and GPs could be putting women at risk.
The charity’s director, Robert Music, said: “According to latest figures from NHS Scotland, a fifth of women eligible for screening in Scotland (20.9%) don’t attend their appointment and in women aged 20-24 it is even worse, with more than double that number (43.4%) failing to go.“
“More than a third of women in Scotland (34%) taking part in our survey who had missed or delayed cervical screening felt making an appointment at a convenient time was difficult because GP opening hours were limited and it was hard to get the time off work.“
“Urgent action needs to be taken to raise awareness of vaccination and of cervical cancer symptoms and screening and to boost falling numbers. At 90%, the uptake of HPV vaccination in Scotland is excellent but young women need to know that because they have had their jabs it does not mean they will not need screening.“
“Employers and GPs, meanwhile, need to do more to help women protect themselves - employers must be more flexible with time off and GP surgeries need to offer later evening and weekend screening.
“This is thousands of women failing to go for a five-minute test which could mean the difference between life and death.”
Dr Heather Cubie , Director of the Scottish HPV Reference Laboratory, who spoke at the event on 22 November, said: “We must not let up on getting the messages out there on cervical cancer prevention because this is a preventable disease.
“The stigma has to be taken away. The virus that causes almost all cervical cancers is really common. Around 80% of us will get it at some point. “With young women increasingly not coming for screening, we need to find effective ways to educate younger women and, crucially, for them to educate each other. It is fantastic that in two years’ time we expect 90% of 20 year old women will have been vaccinated but it is vital we keep reminding young women that the vaccination does not give complete protection – they must go for screening.”
Mum of three Lisa McColl, 35, from Muchalls, Kincardineshire, who was at the event and spoke about her experience of cervical cancer said: “I went for my smear test a year early and don’t know why. Perhaps it was instinct because that is how I found out I had cervical cancer.“
“I cannot stress enough how important the information and support I found via Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust was to me and to the people closest to me. Now I do all I can to raise funds for the charity, to let women know it is there and to raise awareness of vaccination and screening.”
“As a 32 year old mum of three young children I then had to face a full hysterectomy. But the surgery was successful. Without screening my cancer could have advanced undetected – and things could well have turned out very differently for me and my family.”
For more information contact Elizabeth Udall, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust on 07515 852690 or [email protected]
Notes for Editors
***figures* 2010-11 coverage in Scotland was 79.1% (2001-2 86.5%) meaning one in five women did not take up their invitation. Coverage for those aged 20-24 was just 56.6%. Only 68.7% of those aged 25-29 were screened in the last three years. Of 60-64 year olds, 72.4% were screened in the last five years and just 49% in the last three.
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. National Helpline 0808 802 8000
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 UK NHS Cervical Screening Programmes save 5,000 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