MSP urges young women to take up cervical cancer screening

13 January 2009

Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, wants to know what can be done to increase the number of young women attending potentially life saving screening in the Highlands.

Mrs Grant is concerned at latest figures which show that the uptake rate for cervical cancer smears for young women has fallen in the Highlands to just over half.

She has contacted NHS Highland for its view on the issue and on what measures can be taken to increase attendance.

"The figures indicate that the percentage of women in the 20-24 age group attending for cervical screening within three and a half years of their last smear has fallen from 65.5% in 1999/00 to 51.7% in 2007/08," said Mrs Grant.

"This is very worrying, cervical screening is absolutely vital in the early detection of any abnormalities and the programme has been very successful in reducing the number of deaths from cervical cancer."

"NHS Highland has told me that it has tried to increase awareness to young women of the screening process as part of the publicity surrounding the introduction of the HPV vaccination programme to teenage girls," she said.

NHS Highland has also informed the MSP that they have carried out initiatives with women at risk who might not otherwise attend – including prisoners, the homeless and travelling people.

"None of us can be complacent about the dangers of cervical cancer.

"The HPV immunisation programme introduced earlier this year for girls in the 12-13 age group can help protect them from some forms of cervical cancer, but it is not the remedy.

"For young women screening will continue to be their best safeguard."