Anna Soubry
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health
Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London SW1A 2NS

Date: 28th January 2013

Dear Anna,

I am writing to express my support for the work being done by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, and to find out what the Department of Health is doing to address the decline in cervical cancer screening rates across the UK. 

Despite a drop of almost 70% in cervical cancer mortality rates in the last 30 years, nearly 3 women still die every day according to Cancer Research UK.

It is, therefore, incredibly worrying that cervical screening uptake has been gradually declining across the UK, especially among Black and Minority Ethnic women who have lower awareness levels about the importance of the test as compared to white women.

One of the recommendations made by Jo’s Trust is about the need for improved communication on the importance of screening aimed at women at risk of cervical cancer.   

In England, the uptake for cervical screening for all women is down from 81.6% in 2002 to 78.6% in 2012, with women within the first and last screening age groups showing the most marked decline.  39% of women of working age have missed or delayed screening appointments saying they didn’t find it easy to leave work to attend screening appointments.

Jo’s Trust recommend an overhaul of the IT system that supports cervical screening, recently labelled ‘not fit for purpose’ by a Department of Health Report.

At present this is a barrier to appropriate and effective communication with women.

The Trust also argue that low levels of awareness need to be combated through better targeted communications, increased symptom awareness through joint educational programmes, and by working with schools to ensure young women and their families are aware of the HPV vaccine.

A review of screening provisions to increase the flexibility of when and where women can be screened would also be likely to increase uptake rates of cervical screenings.                        

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these recommendations and to learning what action the Government is taking.

Yours sincerely,   

Caroline Lucas MP, Brighton Pavilion

Read the ministerial response here