MSP urges young Western Isles women to attend cervical cancer screenings

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 Western Isles.

Mrs Grant is concerned at latest figures which show that the uptake rate for cervical cancer smears for young women on the islands has fallen below 50% for the first time in ten years. 

She is asking NHS Western Isles for its view on the issue and 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 five and a half years of their last smear has fallen from 68% in 1997/98 to 49.8% 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.” 

“The HPV immunisation programme against cervical cancer 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.”