Closed petition Introduce an at-home smear test option in Wales
Cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer in women under the age of 35. According to Cancer Research UK, 99.8% of cases in the UK are preventable. Smear tests can save lives by detecting any pre-cancerous changes early when treatment is more effective.
Currently there are barriers preventing women and those assigned female at birth from accessing this service. England have trialled at-home smear tests, and we believe the option in Wales can help break down these barriers and save lives.
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There are reasons why women don’t attend their cervical screening tests. Including but not limited to:-
Embarrassment
Lack of education
Not identifying as a woman
Low perceptions of risk
Mistrust in health services
Cultural barriers
Concern over the procedure
Body image issues
Trauma - sexual assault, rape
Inconvenient appointment times
This was trialled in London in 2021. Dr Anita Lim, from King's College London, who lead the YouScreen trial, said:
"It is crucial that we find ways like this to make screening easier and protect women from what is a largely preventable cancer. Self-sampling is a game-changer. This simple and convenient swab means it can be done in the privacy and comfort of your own home."
Welsh women's rights Activist, Molly Fenton, says "Ideally we need a lot to change: better education, stigma breaking conversations and reassurance around the procedure, but in the short term this could save a lot of young lives. Especially 25 year olds taking that first test.”
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