Hopes new at-home tests will tackle low cervical screening rates in the East Midlands
Leicester has previously ranked among the worst areas in England for uptake.
Women in the East Midlands who have not attended cervical screening appointments will be sent at-home testing kits for free on the NHS.
The move has been described as a “gamechanger”, offering a “discreet and convenient option” to encourage more women to get screened.
It comes as a Leicester City Council report updated in 2023 found the city had among the lowest cervical screening coverage compared with other cities, with uptake also significantly below the national average.
What is an at-home cervical screening kit?
The kits contain a swab, which is used to collect a sample from the vagina.
This is then posted back to NHS labs for free, where it is tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV).
If high-risk HPV is detected, patients will then be asked to attend a cervical screening appointment with a clinician.
HPV is a group of viruses which can be passed on through sexual contact and cause no symptoms.
However, around 13 high-risk types of the virus are known to cause 99.7% of cervical cancers.
Eligible women aged between 30 and 65, who have not attended screening appointments, will be sent invitations from today through the NHS app, text message, email or by letter.
They will then be able to order a kit through the NHS app or online.
The phased rollout forms part of the NHS’s target of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040.
'Catch signs of cancer early'
Jennifer Taylor is from Sue Young Cancer Support in Leicestershire and Rutland and explains why uptake may be low: "There is a lot of worry around this type of screening, in particular for younger women who have not been before.
"Sometimes women feel embarrassed or there is cultural sensitivity around screening. It is important people take part because it can help detect early signs of cancer.
"This could go even further, with mobile screening groups in the community, for example, which have been known to boost cancer being caught early on," she said.