At a glance
- Eligible residents aged 30 to 65 who have missed cervical screening may be invited to take a free HPV test at home.
- Invitations will be sent through the NHS App, text message, email or letter.
- Anyone receiving a positive HPV result will be invited for further screening with a healthcare professional.
- Routine cervical screening appointments remain important and people receiving a standard invitation should continue to book as normal.
- The initiative forms part of the NHS ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.
Eligible residents across Essex who have missed cervical screening are to be offered the opportunity to take a free HPV self-test from the privacy of their own home.
The invite-only initiative is being introduced as part of wider work by NHS Essex to increase participation in cervical screening and address some of the barriers that prevent people from attending appointments.
Women and people with a cervix aged between 30 and 65 who are eligible for home testing will be contacted through the NHS App, text message, email or letter. Those invited will be able to order a free testing kit, complete the test at home and return it to the NHS by post.
The home test looks for high-risk human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, which is responsible for almost all cervical cancers.
Anyone whose home test detects high-risk HPV will be invited to attend a follow-up cervical screening appointment at their GP practice or sexual health clinic. A healthcare professional will then take a sample which can be examined for cell changes.
Dr Elizabeth Towers, NHS Essex System Clinical Lead for Cancer, said: “We know that everyone’s circumstances and experiences are different, and that attending screening can be difficult for some people.
“For those who have missed screening and are invited to self-test, taking an HPV test at home offers another opportunity to take an important step towards protecting their health.”
However, NHS Essex is stressing that home HPV testing is not replacing the existing cervical screening programme.
Dr Towers added: “Cervical screening remains one of the most effective ways to prevent cervical cancer. A sample taken by a trained healthcare professional can be checked for both high-risk HPV and, where needed, cell changes, so anyone who receives a routine invitation should continue to book an appointment.”
The move follows research involving 665 Essex residents. Although most women surveyed understood the importance of cervical screening and intended to participate, a number of barriers were identified.
These included anxiety, concerns about pain, previous negative experiences and difficulties arranging an appointment.
NHS Essex has also been working directly with communities where cervical screening participation is lower.
Through its Cervical Screening Champions Fund, small grants have been awarded to organisations delivering workshops, coffee mornings, faith-based discussions, support groups and outreach activities.
More than 400 people have been reached through the programme, including women who have experienced sexual violence, people experiencing mental ill health or social isolation and residents living in areas of deprivation.
Additional resources have been developed for people with learning disabilities, who are among the groups with the lowest cervical screening uptake. These include a Talking Text video and Easy Read guide explaining what screening involves, why it is important and what support can be provided.
The HPV home-testing rollout forms part of the NHS ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through vaccination, screening, prevention and earlier diagnosis.
Anyone receiving a routine cervical screening invitation should continue to make an appointment as usual. People who have previously delayed or missed their screening can also contact their GP practice at any time.
GP practices may be able to offer longer appointments, arrange for a female healthcare professional to carry out the screening and discuss adjustments that could make the experience more comfortable.