I would like to inform the House that I have accepted the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to further risk stratify the cervical screening programme in England. This increases the opportunities to test and recall women and people with a cervix who have human papillomavirus (HPV) while extending the cervical screening intervals from three to five years in England for individuals who have a negative HPV test. This will bring England’s cervical screening intervals in line with those of Wales and Scotland.
The NHS cervical screening programme in England provides all women between the ages of 25 and 64 with the opportunity to be screened routinely to detect HPV infection or cervical abnormalities at an early, more treatable stage. The aim of the programme is to reduce the number of women who develop invasive cervical cancer and reduce the number who die from it.
Cervical screening does not test for cancer; it is a step before which helps to detect the risk of developing cervical cancer. This is because since December 2019, the primary screen in the NHS cervical screening programme has been a test to detect high-risk HPV which causes nearly all cervical cancers. A negative screen for HPV means that the chances of developing a cancer within five years are very small, as it can take around 10 years or more from the time HPV is detected to developing cervical cancer.
Those who test positive for HPV are already being followed up with yearly testing. This is important to ensure that individuals are monitored for any early signs of cervical abnormalities and provided the necessary treatment.
Because HPV testing is a more accurate and highly sensitive screening test, which detects the risk of developing cervical cancer before it develops, we are able to screen people based on their individual risk rather than just their age. This means reducing how often people who are HPV negative are screened, while concentrating efforts on more frequent screening for those that need it. This is a positive step as women do not have to undergo unnecessary testing and the associated anxiety that can be experienced.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the UK National Screening Committee for continuing to provide invaluable expert advice on the introduction of new screening programmes and modifications to existing ones, and especially on achieving the right balance between benefit and harms.
I would also like to pay tribute to and thank all those who work to deliver high quality and safe screening across the country.
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