Cervical screening knowledge gap ‘costing lives’, says charity

Eve Hewitt, who has Crohn’s disease and vaginal scarring from surgery, told the BBC she asks for her screenings to be adjusted, because of potential pain and bleeding.

“If I don’t go in prepared and ready to advocate for myself there is a lot of anxiety about the pain that could happen,” she said.

Ms Hewitt, from Cambridgeshire, said she always asked for a smaller speculum to be used and for a double appointment to “break the ice” with the nurse.

“If I can say ‘these are the things that concern me, I’m concerned about pain, how uncomfortable it’s going to be for me and perhaps how difficult it might be for the nurse too’ – if we can discuss that beforehand, we can go in with a bit of an action plan, and that really helps me.

“Sometimes I find a pillow under my bum helpful and makes it more comfortable for me and a bit easier for the nurse too. If I feel like it’s not working I will rebook the appointment.”

Ms Hewitt said she agreed there seemed to be a “complete lack of knowledge” and understood why some people did not go for screenings.

“If I didn’t know I could ask for adaptations, there is a quite a high chance I would have been put off.”

NHS England aims to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, with the use of cervical screening and the HPV vaccine, which is cutting cases of cervical cancer by 90% in England, figures show.

NHS England says those who have been vaccinated still need to attend cervical screenings, as there is still a small chance they could develop cancer.