Healthwatch England releases national report on women's experiences of cervical screening

News - 23 September 2024

Healthwatch England's report titled Cervical Screening, My Way published on Monday, 16 September, takes a deep dive into women's experiences of cervical screening and identifies approaches policy makers can take to improve screening uptake. This research comes at a crucial time when the NHS sets to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.
Patient and GP

In November 2023, NHS England announced a new goal to eliminate cervical cancer in England by 2024. The NHS aims to achieve this by increasing HPV vaccination rates and encouraging more women to undergo cervical screenings. However, this goal was set at a time when there was a decline in the number of women attending screenings, prompting the NHS to investigate the reasons behind this hesitancy.

To address this, Healthwatch England conducted research between November 2023 and February 2024 to understand why some women are hesitant to attend screenings. The findings revealed that the main reasons for hesitancy among respondents were concerns about physical discomfort, embarrassment, and a misconception that they didn't need to attend screenings if they were not currently sexually active.

The research also highlighted areas for improvement in the screening process, such as providing more detailed information about cervical cancer, making information more accessible and available in different languages, and implementing practical changes to screening appointments to make women feel more comfortable.

The report's findings were based on a national poll of over 2,400 women who were hesitant about cervical screening and 30 interviews conducted by 10 local Healthwatch. 

Healthwatch Greenwich was among the 10 local Healthwatch commissioned to carry out this research and provided valuable input by conducting in-depth interviews with three women, all aged between 25 and 29 and who identified as being from either Black British African or Asian Nepali background. Their participation in this researched has provided insight into the barriers faced by women, particularly those experiencing multiple inequalities, as they navigate access to healthcare services.  

You can read the full report here: Cervical screening my way - report (healthwatch.co.uk)

You might also be interested in

International Women's Day Event

Women’s health screening: A choice for some, a privilege for others

Over the course of multiple projects conducted between October 2023 and April 2024, we heard from women across Greenwich about their experiences with cervical and breast screening. These conversations suggest a system that too often places the burden of overcoming barriers on individuals, rather than designing services that meet people where they are.
Blog

Raising Awareness of Women’s Cancer Screening

On Women’s Day, we were in General Gordon Square with a focus on promoting women’s health screening. Using a combination of strategies in a community setting, including face-to-face interaction (short, informal conversations), incentives (freebies), and information resources (leaflets), Healthwatch Greenwich promoted, encouraged, and reassured women about breast and cervical screening.
Among the women we spoke to, awareness gaps were evident, particularly among recently migrated women. For others, trust in healthcare providers and systems is a key driver, with positive experiences encouraging future attendance. In addition, their children were a motivating factor for some. Negative experiences with GPs and hospitals (even when unrelated to screening) reduced the likelihood of women attending screening appointments. Some expressed fear of discomfort or pain, reducing motivation to take up screening opportunities, and women with mobility challenges faced physical barriers in accessing screening.
News