Too few women in Hertfordshire are taking advantage of the NHS cervical screening programme, according to data presented to the county’s Health and Wellbeing Board.
Cervical screening is a test offered to those aged 25 to 64 that checks the health of the cervix, helping to identify abnormal changes before they turn into cancer.
In 2023, the report presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board showed that the “proportion of cancer screening coverage for females aged 25 to 49 years old” in Hertfordshire was 71 per cent. This rate is higher than the 66 per cent recorded in England but “below the national acceptable standard of 80 per cent uptake.”
The report also mentions “opportunistic” cervical screening for HIV patients. The county council plans to explore ways to increase the number of these screenings in Hertfordshire’s Specialist Sexual Health Services, particularly for women not registered with a GP.
“There are opportunities however to explore expanding the delivery of opportunistic cervical screening to ensure that higher risk women, who are not registered with a GP, have access to a cervical screening whilst receiving other sexual health support,” the report states.
“HCC are in discussion with NHSE regarding the contracting of this additional work.”
This screening data was part of a broader report on women’s health across the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS, which focused on establishing women’s health hubs. The Health and Wellbeing Board met on Tuesday (September 3).
Deborah is a Local Democracy Reporter covering news across Hertfordshire, with a strong focus on councils, local government and public policy. Her reporting includes county council decisions, council tax, spending pressures, legal and regulatory issues, healthcare stories including junior doctors, and community projects affecting local residents.
