Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of women attending breast and cervical cancer screening programmes.

Prevention, public health and early diagnosis are key priorities for this Government, but we acknowledge that more can be done. The recently published Independent Review of Adult Screening Programmes, conducted by Professor Sir Mike Richards, recommended that high priority should be given to wider implementation of evidence-based initiatives to increase uptake of screening programmes, including breast and cervical screening programmes. The Department, NHS England and Public Health England are now considering the findings of Professor Richards’ report and will publish an implementation plan early next year.

In the interim, NHS England is investing in initiatives to help ensure equality of access to screening. These include locally-targeted interventions such as text and general practitioner (GP) reminder letters. As part of the delivery of the GP Five Year Forward View, the NHS has invested more than £258 million to improve access to general practice including improved access to all routine appointments (including screening) at weekends and/or evenings.