Women Urged To Get First Smear

Women over 25 who have never had a cervical smear test are being targeted by a new campaign.

Social media messages are encouraging them to book an appointment and not put off having the potentially life-saving examination.

Once a woman attends for the first time they will automatically receive a reminder every three years.

More than a 1,000 women have been screened for cervical cancer since checks were made free at the beginning of August.

That is 200 more than in the same period last year, but Doctor Linda Diggle says a lot of women are still hesitant:

"The evidence tells us many women don't attend for screening because they are embarrassed, or they are worried about the results of this test. What we are trying to do on social media is to give women the information to feel empowered to take their health into their own hands and do something about it."

The test is designed to detect cervical abnormalities before cancer has developed and when abnormalities can be treated in an out-patient clinic.

"We know that once women have had their first cervical screening test, they are more likely to attend when recalled in subsequent years, but we need to get them 'on the system." 

Cervical screening is offered every 3 years to women 25-49, and every 5 years for women aged 50-64.