By Kate Pickles For The Daily Mail and Daily Mail Reporter
Published: 00:15 GMT, 22 March 2019 | Updated: 00:17 GMT, 22 March 2019
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DIY smear tests should be introduced as soon as possible to reduce cases of cervical cancer, a charity has said.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust made the plea in a bid to diagnose the disease at an earlier stage.
The latest NHS figures show only 71 per cent of women are up to date on screening – the lowest rate since records began – and around five million women are overdue.
DIY smear tests should be introduced as soon as possible said Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust
NHS figures show that cervical cancer screening uptake among women is at 71 per cent, the lowest level since records began
Robert Music, chief executive of the charity, said self-testing could not come soon enough. He said Australia and Denmark, which already use home testing, are seeing ‘fantastic results’ in prevention and the number of early diagnoses.
He added that it could be a ‘game changer’ for those with physical or psychological difficulties with the usual test. The scheme – where HPV testing kits are sent in the post then returned to the NHS – will be trialled in England with a view to national implementation.
By December 2019, authorities plan to make a postal DIY smear test, that also checks for HPV, available to all women across the country.
Officials hope it will boost screening coverage by reaching women who have ignored invitations for tests because of embarrassment or difficulties getting an appointment.
The pilot scheme was announced as NHS England revealed that cervical screening administration will return ‘in-house’ from June.
Rebecca Vardy has been praised after she highlighted the importance of smear tests, as the number of women being screened for cervical cancer hit an all time low
Authorities plan to make the postal DIY smear test kit available to all women across the UK by December 2019
Cervical cancer affects the lining of the lower part of
