In order to significantly reduce cancer deaths, NHS England is to offer more than 31,000 women around the country access to HPV home testing kits to carry out smear tests in the privacy and convenience of their own homes.
The decision to provide the tests, which detect Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV) which can lead to cervical cancer, will form part of a new trial.
The swab tests will be posted to women or given out by a GP to increase take up of screening for HPV.
Designed to be simple to carry out, the home swab allows women to do the test themselves, rather than have one done for them by a general practice nurse.
In this initial trial, the swabs will be provided to women aged 25-64 years who are 15 months overdue for a check and live in the London regions of Barnet, Camden, Islington, Newham and Tower Hamlets - areas where screening appointment attendance is low.
The trial will represent the first time home smear tests have been trialled in England and is being rolled out through 166 GP practices, as part of the national NHS Cervical Screening Programme.
A number of factors are often cited for reasons women don’t attend a smear test appointment, including embarrassment, cultural barriers and fear over what the test involves. A discreet, self-administered home swab test is hoped to alleviate these concerns for some women.
NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said: “This is an important new way to make screening easier for thousands of women. We know there are lots of reasons why women might not attend a screening appointment, including worries about Covid-19.
“GPs have taken extra precautions to make surgeries safe, and these home kits give thousands of women another option to keep up to date with their screening. We would urge every woman to make sure they have their smear test – the earlier HPV is detected the better. It could save your life.”
