Public Health England (PHE) has launched a major campaign in the South West, ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’, to increase the number of women attending their cervical screening across the region.

The campaign will encourage women to respond to their cervical screening invitation letter, and if they missed their last screening, to book an appointment at their GP practice.

Around 275 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the South West each year and around 62 women die from the disease. It is estimated that if everyone attended screening regularly, 83 per cent of cervical cancer cases could be prevented.

The new campaign provides practical information about how to make the test more comfortable and gives reassurance to women, who may be fearful of finding out they have cancer, that screening is not a test for cancer. Regular screening, which only takes a few minutes, can help stop cervical cancer before it starts, as the test identifies potentially harmful cells before they become cancerous and ensures women get the right treatment as soon as possible.