Cervical Cancer

(asked on 28th January 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with Public Health England on a national strategy for increasing public awareness of cervical cancer symptoms.


Answered by
 Portrait
Jane Ellison
This question was answered on 4th February 2015

Ministers have regular meetings with Public Health England (PHE) about their public awareness campaigns including Be Clear on Cancer. The focus of national Be Clear on Cancer awareness campaigns (led by PHE since 1 April 2013) to date has been on cancers with the largest number of avoidable deaths, compared with countries with the best survival rates. These include breast cancer (particularly targeting older women), bowel cancer, lung cancer, kidney/bladder cancers and stomach/oesophageal cancers. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a “halo” effect from these campaigns which can help to encourage earlier presentation to general practitioners (GPs) with any worrying symptom.

The Department will continue to work with PHE, NHS England and other stakeholders, to keep these campaigns under review and work with relevant experts to see what might be done to tackle awareness of the symptoms of other cancers, such as cervical cancer.

In March 2010, new guidance was published for primary care on the management of young women who present with gynaecological symptoms, following concerns from the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening that young women presenting to primary care with symptoms of cervical cancer were not always being given the best advice. The guidance was produced by a multi-disciplinary group, including professionals, patients and the voluntary sector. It was reviewed by a number of GPs, and was endorsed by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Physicians.

The guidance, ‘Clinical practice guidelines for the assessment of young women aged 20-24 with abnormal vaginal bleeding’ can be found at:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130107105354/http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_113478

Women under 25 who are concerned about their risk of developing cervical cancer should contact their GP.

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