Women to be offered DIY tests if they miss cervical screenings
Women who haven't come forward for their cervical screening will be offered a home testing kit
Women are to be offered DIY cervical screening kits if they have consistently missed offers for screenings from a GP.
The tests, which can be performed at home, look for the human papillomavirus (HPV) - the virus which is linked to the majority of cases of cervical cancer.
After getting the nod from the UK National Screening Committee in March, the NHS in England is going to offer the tests to certain women.
It is expected that the rollout will begin in January next year.
Many women not taking up offer of smear tests
The NHS offers cervical screening tests - previously known as smear tests - to all women aged 25-64 every three years.
But many people do not take up the offer, with a number citing a lack of time, discomfort or embarrassment.
Data published by the NHS last November showed five million women are not up to date with routine check-ups.
Now officials have said that at-home kits will be offered to women who have rarely or have never attended their cervical screening.
The initiative will see women sent a self-sampling kit in the post which can be returned via pre-paid mail.
People who were found to have the HPV virus will be encouraged to attend an in-person appointment with a clinician.
DIY smear test kits shown to boost uptake
Research has suggested that offering DIY testing kits could boost uptake.
The YouScreen trial, which was led by King's College London in partnership with NHS England, found that offering self-sampling kits to "under-screened" women when they attend their GP practice and by posting kits to women's homes could boost uptake in England by about 400,000 each year.
The Department of Health and Social Care said the new approach could potentially save about 5,000 lives a year across England.
It said that the new programme "specifically targets those groups consistently missing vital appointments" including: younger women, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and LGBT plus people.
Health Secretary says screening more convenient
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "These self-sampling kits represent healthcare that works around people's lives, not the other way around.
"They put women firmly in control of their own health, ensuring we catch more cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.
"Our 10-year health plan will fundamentally reform the NHS, shifting focus from treating illness to preventing it before it starts.
"We know the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better the chances are of survival.
"By making screening more convenient, we're tackling the barriers that keep millions of women from potentially life-saving tests."
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