Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Cervical screening can prevent cervical cancer from developing or help to find it at an early stage by detecting the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes almost all cases of cervical cancer.
The Welsh Government follows the independent, expert advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). In June, the UK NSC recommended that all cervical screening programmes in the UK could offer self-sampling tests for HPV to under-screened eligible populations. This means for people who never or rarely attend routine cervical screening appointments. The recommendation follows UK studies which show self-sampling could help increase participation in screening.
This is a promising development which could encourage more people who do not currently engage in cervical screening to carry out the test themselves at home.
Public Health Wales is exploring the best way to deliver self-sampling to all those who would be eligible in Wales. Rollout is expected to begin next year.
Wales was the first part of the UK to introduce testing for HPV as the primary screening test for cervical screening in 2018. This is a more specific test and means that a negative result is more accurate and requires less frequent screening appointments – saving more lives by determining an individual’s risk of cancer earlier.
NHS Wales also delivers a school-age HPV vaccination programme for girls and boys aged 12 to 13 (year eight in school). The vaccine is highly effective at protecting against cancers caused by HPV, including cervical cancer.
These preventative interventions will save lives. I would encourage all those eligible to take up the offer of screening or vaccination.