Millions of women to be invited to order at-home cervical screening kits
Summary
Millions of women in England who have not attended cervical screening appointments will be sent at-home testing kits for free on the NHS. The move has been described as a “gamechanger”, offering a “discreet and convenient option” to encourage more women to get screened. The kits contain a swab, which is used to collect a sample from the vagina. This is then posted back to NHS labs for free, where it is tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). If high-risk HPV is detected, patients will then be asked to attend a cervical screening appointment with a clinician. HPV is a group of viruses which can be passed on through sexual contact and…