Hansard

I congratulate Monica Lennon on bringing this important debate to the chamber, which gives us the opportunity to raise awareness of the latest cervical cancer screening uptake statistics. Given that cervical cancer prevention week runs this week, from 21 to 27 January, it is timely that we have the opportunity to raise awareness about this extremely important subject.

I remind the chamber of my background as a registered nurse. Much of my experience involved working in the operating room to support gynaecologists in their work following positive results, which required less invasive action compared with the more invasive surgery that was required for women who did not attend for screening at all.

As the motion outlines, the latest statistics show that cervical screening rates are falling in Scotland. All women aged 25 to 64 are invited for cervical screening—those between 25 and 49 are invited every three years and those between 50 and 64 are invited every five years. I was shocked to read that one in four women is not taking up their invitation for what is, as we know, a relatively simple test. Approximately 6,000 women across Dumfries and Galloway in my South Scotland region have not responded to their invitation to attend their GP surgery or sexual health clinic or to see a practice nurse. It is important to acknowledge that cervical screening is the best protection against cervical cancer and that attending screening appointments will mean that there will be increased diagnosis. As with many diseases and conditions, early diagnosis is key to effective early treatment.

I will use my time to highlight some of the unique work that is being developed by my former medical colleagues, including researchers in NHS Dumfries and Galloway. Last year, I met Doctors Heather Currie, William Forson, Gwen Baxter and Jim Lawrence to discuss their proposed research on self-testing for cervical screening. As recently as last Friday, I caught up with Dr Forson for an update, and I am pleased that the self-test pilot scheme has gained approval from the ethics committee and will roll out soon across NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

The team has developed a self-test swab to gather samples, which meets the required criteria for testing for the human papilloma virus. I know that we do not like to have props in the chamber, but I am holding up a uni-swab sample packet; it has a wee cotton bud-type swab and PCR media solution. The goal is for the current process to be followed; instead of cytology samples being done, the HPV cotton bud swab would be used and that would be replicated in current places for obtaining cell samples. Ultimately, the aim of the research is to offer the non-attenders—those 6,000 non-attenders, who are known as defaulters—the opportunity to attend and the opportunity to self-test in their own homes. The self-test swab kit costs less than £2.

Research has shown that the self-test kit has been proven to work in other study populations—I know of one in Africa and one in Canada, and it is also being tested in the Netherlands. It could be applied here in Scotland to help to attract the non-attenders to take up cervical screening and simultaneously work to address the barriers to attending, such as cold speculums, exposure, discomfort, embarrassment and lack of knowledge. Often the challenges are to do with work-life constraints, including transport to and from work or home to places for samples to be obtained. Women can be quite challenged in finding the time to get to their appointments. I am one of them; I have been a defaulter, but I am now taking proactive steps to get myself to my nurse practitioner.

I am aware that some health professionals across Scotland are a bit put off being screened, because they often know those who carry out the screening, who are their colleagues and friends. As I mentioned, other countries such as the Netherlands are trying the self-testing approach, and I look forward to hearing the results.

I encourage the Scottish Government to closely explore and engage in the outcomes of the self-test research and, if it works, to look at the option of rolling out a self-test cervical screen kit across the whole of Scotland.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 25 to 35 in Scotland and the rest of the UK. In Scotland, around six women every week are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Cervical screening saves around 5,000 lives every year in the UK and prevents eight out of 10 cervical cancers from developing or spreading. It is crucial to encourage women to attend and be screened.

I am aware of innovative work from various businesses across Scotland—Monica Lennon mentioned one such business. There is another one in Dumfries called the Salon Bellissimo, which offers women money off waxing and other treatments if they are going to have a cervical screening test.

I encourage everyone to attend when they are invited for their cervical screening test.