Cervical screening

The “Are You Ready For Your Screen Test?” campaign aims to dispel the myths around lesbian and bisexual women and cervical screening, and raise awareness that lesbian and bisexual women do need regular cervical screening tests.

Download our cervical screening guide!

All women between the ages of 25 and 64 who have a cervix – including lesbian and bisexual women - need to go for regular cervical screening tests (formally called 'smear tests').

To be invited for cervical screening you need to be registered with a GP, who needs to have your current address on file.

The NHS call and re-call system invites all women who are eligible for screening and registered with a GP. This system also keeps track of any follow-up investigation, and, if all is well, re-calls you for screening at the appropriate time for you - either three to five years (check the table below).

It is important that you ensure that your GP has any change of circumstance or address.

The age of invitation for cervical screening varies according to country. Please check the chart (below) for your region.

Eligibility for cervical screening in the UK
Country	Eligibility
England	Women aged 25 to 49 invited every three years Women aged 50 to 64 invited every five years
Northern Ireland	Women aged 25 to 49 invited every three years Women aged 50 to 65 invited every five years
Scotland	Women aged 20 to 60 invited every three years
Wales	Women aged 20 to 64 invited every three years

Women who are eligible and who have not previously had a cervical screening may be offered one when they attend their GP or family planning clinic on another matter. Women in England should receive their first invitation for routine screening by their 25th birthday, Women in Scotland by their 20th birthday etc.

If you are eligible and have not received an invitation to attend for cervical screening then you should contact your GP.

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, can be passed on during sex. This includes sexual activity between two women.

The aim of the LGF’s new campaign “Are You Ready For Your Screen Test?” is to raise awareness of cervical screening amongst women from the lesbian and bisexual community, encourage them to attend screening appointments, give them the confidence to use their rights, and provide advice to make it the best possible experience. The campaign is supported by the NHS Cancer Screening Programme & the University of Salford.

For year's LB women have been misinformed about the importance of testing, but The LGF's new campaign is about to change that...

Annie Emery, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation’s Programmes Manager said “Over the years, some lesbian and bisexual women accessing screening have experienced homophobia, assumptions that they are heterosexual, inappropriate treatment and, most damaging of all, misinformation about their health when it comes to cervical screening.”

“We want lesbian and bisexual women to be getting the best and most accurate health information to help them make informed decisions about their body and their health. We also want lesbian and bisexual women to know exactly what services are available to them. If a woman has been sexually active with a woman or a man she should be accessing cervical screening services.”

Professor Julietta Patnick CBE, Director of the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes said: “The NHS Cancer Screening Programmes welcome this campaign to encourage lesbian and bisexual women to accept screening invitations.”

“Most research including that carried out by Dr Julie Fish of De Montfort University found that there is a low level of awareness of the cervical cancer risks for lesbians, among both healthcare staff and lesbians themselves.

“Many incorrectly believe that lesbians are not at risk at all.

“A clearer understanding of the transmission routes of HPV (the virus that causes cervical cancer) is crucial in helping to encourage all eligible women to accept screening invitations. Cervical screening saves 4,500 women’s lives every year in England alone.”

Making an appointment for a cervical screening test takes hardly any time at all, and the test itself takes just a few minutes – not long for something that could save your life.

So don't be left in the dark, ring or visit your GP to book a cervical screening, or to check when your next one is due. For more information on cervical screening contact The LGF on 0845 3 30 30 30, or visit www.lgf.org.uk/screening