Our Health Promotion staff have been busy sending out invitations to nearly 6,000 women across Forth Valley to attend pop-up clinics for cervical screening. The scheme has been very successful with some women turning up for appointments who haven’t attended their smear test for more than 30 years.
Twenty four sessions have been arranged at local GP practices across Forth Valley followed a successful pilot in Clackmannanshire last year.
The women received eye-catching pink tartan invitations which were posted out in bright pink envelopes. The clinics, which are scheduled to take place until March 2018, are held in a quiet and relaxed environment and women can bring a friend along with them to support them.
NHS Forth Valley Health Promotion Officer Margaret-Anne Macmillan said one GP practice in Clackmannanshire had identified around 700 women who had missed their appointment.
She said: “The women think it’s a great idea to come along in the evenings. They like the privacy, and sometimes workplaces don’t let staff away for routine screening appointments and the women end up having to take annual leave. What we are also finding is that the ‘pink’ letters are not only bringing women along to the evening clinics, but if they can’t attend at that time they are now booking day appointments.
NHS Forth Valley Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Dr Jennifer Champion added: “The smear test saves around 5,000 lives every year in the UK and prevents eight out of 10 cervical cancers from developing. It can stop cervical cancer before it starts and could help save your life.”
For more information visit http://getcheckedearly.org/cervical-cancer
