Cervical screening awareness week runs from 16 June to 22 June 2025. RM Partners North West and South West London Cancer Alliance is supporting an awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of this life saving test.
The campaign encourages those eligible for screening - women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 - to respond to their cervical screening invitation and book an appointment or, if they missed their last screening, to contact their GP practice.
Screening helps prevent cervical cancer by checking for certain types of HPV that can cause changes to the cells of your cervix. These are called ‘high risk’ types of HPV. If these types of HPV are found, the sample is checked for any changes in the cells of your cervix. These can be treated before they get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
Don’t be alarmed if you have HPV as it does not mean you have cervical cancer - it’s acommon virus that most people will get at some point in their lives.
Women and people with a cervix aged 25-64 are eligible for screening. Those registered as female with their GP practice are currently invited for routine screening every three years if they are aged 25-49 and every five years if they are aged 50-64.
From July 2025, women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 49 who are screened and test negative for HPV, meaning they are at very low risk of cervical cancer over the next10 years, will also be invited at 5-year intervals rather than three.
Those registered as male will need to request an appointment from their GP. For more information, visit www.nhs.uk/cervicalscreening