A leading cervical cancer charity is urging the Government to commit to stamping out the illness - and highlighted how around one in three of those invited in Newcastle do not attend vital screening appointments.
The new campaign, launched by Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, highlights how the Government needs to improve screening, public awareness and vaccine uptake in order to tackle the illness which affects around 3,200 people a year across the UK. The country sees around 800 cervical cancer deaths a year.
Gosforth-born TV doctor Dr Ellie Cannon has also backed the campaign, and highlighted that progress had been too slow - and people continued to miss screening appointments at an alarming rate. Dr Cannon said: "Ending cervical cancer should be a priority and something we can all get behind. Progress to date has been too slow - GPs like myself are still seeing too many people miss their screening when called, which means they are in danger of being diagnosed late. This needs to change.
Read more: Sky Sports presenter Hayley McQueen backs family's cervical cancer campaign
"We have an opportunity now to alleviate some of the NHS pressure in this area on a longer-term basis. With the right measures and a joint focus on innovation and protecting the workforce, we can take huge strides forward in this area."
Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust has released a report based on surveys of almost 1,000 health professionals highlighting that the national aim should be to formally "eliminate" cervical cancer, which would mean there would be be fewer than four cases per 100,000 people.
In a report, the charity says barriers to success include a lack of understanding around the effectiveness of the current vaccination programme, anti-vaccine sentiment, inequalities in uptake of cervical screening, competing NHS priorities and workforce shortages affecting how the programme works.
This comes as the Amber's Law charity - set up following the death of Sunderland woman Amber Rose Cliff in 2017 at the age of just 25 from cervical cancer - has published a video of support from TV presenter Hayley McQueen highlighting the importance of attending screening appointments.
The UK currently offers a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in schools together with a cervical screening programme and colposcopy services that help catch pre-cancerous cell changes. However, the rate of those eligible attending screening appointments has fallen - and in Newcastle is lower than the national average
The new Jo's Cancer Trust report highlights that screening is "at its lowest level in 20 years". And the UK Health Security Agency has also now highlighted how HPV vaccination take-up has fallen compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The HPV vaccine has been routinely offered in schools to girls aged 12 to 13 since 2008 and to boys the same age since September 2019. In England, data for the 2021/22 school year shows HPV vaccine uptake in girls and boys fell by 7% and 8.6% respectively compared to a year earlier.
Around 13 high-risk types of HPV cause 99.7% of cervical cancer - though HPV is usually harmless and often naturally cleared.
The Government minister for women’s health Maria Caulfield urged youngsters to take up the vaccine - now offered to boys and girls during secondary school. She said: "As a nurse who has worked on cancer units, I have seen first-hand the importance of HPV vaccination in saving countless lives by preventing cervical cancer.
"We’re improving the cervical cancer screening process, including opening up 24/7 laboratory screening and expanding the location options available – so people can get their tests easier and results faster. I encourage all 12 and 13 year olds who are offered this vaccine to take it – it could save your life."
Speaking more broadly about the call to eliminate cervical cancer, Dr Kiren Collison, interim director for primary care at NHS England, said: "We have made great progress on our Cervical Screening Programme and the combined effects of the HPV vaccine and the new, more sensitive way of screening for cervical cancer means that we have the opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer altogether.
“Having the potential to completely eradicate a disease that affects thousands of people every year is remarkable, but in order to do this, it is vital that people take up the offer of a test – so if you have received an invitation, or missed your last screening, don’t wait to make an appointment, put your health first and book an appointment with your GP practice or sexual health clinic today – getting checked can save your life."
Cervical Cancer Awareness week runs between January 23 and January 29 - and this year Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust are launching their End Cervical Cancer campaign. You can also find out more about Amber's Law here.
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