Uptake on potentially life-saving smear tests as low as 50% in some areas of Middlesbrough

Around half of women in some areas of Middlesbrough are not going for potentially life-saving cancer tests, it has emerged.

A new report into the numbers of women going for smear tests, which detect cervical cancer, has highlighted the low uptake.

The figure was revealed in the same week as terminally ill mum-of-three Amanda Booth, from Longlands in Middlesbrough, told the Gazette she was “too scared” to have a smear test.

The 28-year-old, who renewed her wedding vows to husband David as part of her “bucket list”, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in June last year when she was just 27.

Amanda, who has three children Demi-Lee,11, and Leon, eight, and Lucas, five, has had bouts of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy but nothing more can be done for her.

Middlesbrough Council’s public health team is leading on a project with the NHS England area team to look at the reasons for the low uptake and coverage of cervical screening in the borough.

The team is speaking to GPs and residents to find out why uptake is so low and develop ways of tackling it.

The details of the pilot were revealed in a report by Councillor Julia Rostron, executive member for adult social care and public health, presented to full council.

The pilot involves:

1. Speaking with GP surgeries about the low level of uptake

2. Getting views from local people to find out what are the barriers to taking the tests and what could be done to improve uptake;

3. An awareness-raising campaign based on the findings from the investigation.

The team has already started the first stage and signed up five GP practices to the project so far.

Focus group sessions have taken place including with a mixed age group of women from the BME community and a group with BME men to establish their views as potential influences on women’s health.

An online survey was carried out which received more than 200 responses.

Now the team is working on a media campaign which includes posters, radio, social media advertising and a website.

The campaign will be officially launched in June to coincide with Cervical Screening Awareness Week.

Last December, NHS figures revealed nearly a third of younger women in Middlesbrough were missing out on the test.

Just 67.9% of women aged 25 to 49 in the PCT area were up to date with their smear test in 2013/14, according to figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Figures for Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton were better at 74% and above the England average.