Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether GP’s have authority to request cervical cancer smear tests when patients under 25 show symptoms of cervical cancer.

As part of the delivery of essential medical services under the General Medical Services Contract Regulations, general practitioner practices must offer consultation and, where appropriate, physical examination for the purposes of identifying the need, if any, for treatment or further investigation. Practices should carry out treatment or further investigation as is necessary and appropriate, including the referral of a patient to other services or other health care professionals.

Patients aged over 25 are, of course, eligible for the cervical screening programme.