The rollout targets women aged 30 to 65 who have missed screening invitations. Eligible participants will receive invitations through the NHS App, text message, email or letter, allowing them to order a kit online or through the NHS App.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The self-testing kits contain a swab used to collect a vaginal sample at home. The sample is then returned to NHS laboratories free of charge,<\/strong> where it is tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to NHS England<\/a>, high-risk HPV can increase the risk of cervical cancer, and around 13 high-risk types of the virus are linked to 99.7% of cervical cancer cases. If high-risk HPV is detected, the individual will be invited to attend a follow-up cervical screening appointment with a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NHS said clinician-led cervical screening remains the best way to help prevent cervical cancer, while self-testing <\/strong>is being introduced as an additional option for people who have not taken up previous invitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The move follows evidence from the YouScreen trial, carried out in London in collaboration with NHS England and King\u2019s College London in 2021. According to NHS England, the trial<\/a> found that offering self-testing kits to women who were less likely to attend screening could increase the number of people screened in England by around 400,000 each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Latest figures from NHS England show that 68.8% of eligible women are up to date <\/strong>with cervical screening, below the target of 80%. The health service estimates that around four million women are not currently up to date with their routine checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n