The aim of this awareness week, as supported by Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK, is to educate and increase participation in screening to prevent cervical cancer. Cervical screening is essentially the same as what was known as a smear test. Cervical screening is a test to check the health of the cervix and help prevent cervical cancer. it is offered to anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 64.

Each year, more than 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK. This type of cancer can affect people of all ages. Macmillan Cancer Support report that 1 in 3 do not attend their cervical screening test.

All women aged 25 to 64 are routinely invited to cervical screening to check the health of their cervix. Cervical screening (formerly known as a smear test) should be carried out on everyone with a cervix. It’s not a test for cancer, it’s a test to help prevent cancer.

What is cervical screening?

During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix. The sample is checked for certain types of human papillomavirus (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 not found, you do not need any further tests. 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. The nurse or doctor will tell you when you can expect your results.

What will happen at my cervical screening appointment?

You don’t have to have the test at a GP surgery. You can also have one at a family planning or sexual health clinic or at a private clinic.

When you go for your cervical screening test (smear test), your appointment will usually last about 10 minutes. But the actual test only takes a minute or two. Usually, a female nurse or doctor will do your test, but if you want to make sure, ask when you make your appointment.

Your nurse or doctor will ask you to take off your clothes (just your bottom half) but if you’re wearing a skirt you can just take your underwear off. They’ll then ask you to lie on your back on an examination couch with your knees bent and apart. If you can’t manage this easily, tell your nurse – you may be able to lie on your side instead.

Your nurse or doctor will use an instrument called a speculum (pronounced speck-you-lum) to gently open your vagina, so they can see your cervix (neck of your womb). They’ll then use a small, soft brush to take a sample of cells from your cervix. They’ll send this sample to a lab to be tested.

Some people find the test uncomfortable but it doesn’t usually hurt. If it does hurt, let your nurse know so they can try and make you more comfortable. Try to relax – the more relaxed you are, the less discomfort you’ll feel. You might find it helps to take some deep breaths, listen to music or watch something on your phone.

Changes to the Cervical Screening programme

NHS England announced on 10th June 2025 that it will be updating its cervical screening programme so that eligible 25-29 year olds are invited every five years instead of every three years

if their routine screenings show that do not have HPV. The change, which will come into effect from July 2025, follows recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee, an independent body of experts who review screening advice and advise the four UK governments. Scotland and Wales made the same change in 2020 and 2022 respectively.

The change from screening every 3 years to every five years for those age 25-49 comes following improvements in the scope of the screening test. Previously the test only looked for abnormal cell changes in the cervix. The new and improved test was introduced in England in 2019 and looks for high risk strains of HPV (the human papillomavirus) which causes 99.7% of all cervical cancers. Those age 50-64 are already invited for screening every five years.