This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Improved cervical smear system
27/03/2002
Up to 24,000 women each year will be saved the stress
and uncertainty of taking a repeat cervical smear test, it
was announced today.
Some 400,000 women a year aged between 20 and 60 in
Scotland are set to benefit from a £2.75 million investment
in Scotland's cervical screening system. Improved smear
tests will mean more reliable and simpler testing and
should lead to any problems being caught earlier.
Although the new system, known as liquid based cytology
will not be immediately noticeable to women attending a
cervical screening, there will be a significant change to
the way smears are processed.
As before a smear will be taken using either a plastic
spatula or a brush sampler and cells collected from the
cervix. This sample will now be immediately transferred
into a preservative fluid and sent to the laboratory. Under
the old system, cells are prepared by a nurse on a slide
before being sent to the laboratory. This new system will
lessen the chances of the smear being damaged,
significantly reducing the number of inadequate
readings.
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm made the announcement
following the results of four successful pilot schemes
across the country.
The pilots' main findings were that
- staff taking the smear tests found liquid based
cytology, simpler, convenient and easier to use.
- liquid based cytology reduced the workload and
increased productivity in laboratories by reducing the
number of inadequate smears and allowing for quicker
reading times.
- the pilot found that liquid based cytology would
reduce the rate of inconclusive smears by 6 per cent a
year. This means that around 24,000 women a year will
not be required to undergo a repeat smear.
- more accurate smear results should result in a fall
of up to 3,600 inappropriate referrals for colposcopy
to investigate abnormalities a year.
Mr Chisholm said:
"Great improvements have been made in tackling cervical
cancer over recent years and today's announcement will
build on this. Since 1986, deaths have dropped by almost a
half and the incidence of invasive cervical cancer has
fallen by nearly a third. The screening program has meant
that 250 cases of cervical cancer are also prevented each
year.
"I want to see this progress continue and improve. That
is why we are investing £2.75 million to ensure that women
get a continually improving service.
"This will provide funds for staff training and
equipment to begin improvements throughout the country. The
new smear test technique, already in place in some parts of
Scotland will be available throughout the country for all
women by April 2004.
"By introducing liquid based cytology, Scotland is
leading the way in the UK in improving the level of service
that women will receive. Fewer repeat smears, means less
need for specialist treatment and less stress and
inconvenience for women everywhere.
"Improving the cervical cancer screening programme is an
important part of the battle against cervical cancer and
that is why we are making this major investment in liquid
based cytology."
Liquid Based Cytology is an alternative
technique where a smear is taken using either a plastic
spatula or a brush sampler. Cells are collected from the
cervix and the sample is then immediately transferred into
a preservative fluid and sent to the laboratory.
The new smear-taking technique will greatly improve the
screening service in Scotland and result in around 24,000
women a year not requiring to undergo a repeat smear. It is
also anticipated that up to 3,600 women will now not be
required to be referred for colposcopy treatment
A pilot looking at the feasibility and
cost-effectiveness of introducing this alternative
smear-taking method into the
Cervical Screening Programme was
undertaken in 2001 and reported in January 2002. The pilot
studies took place at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness,
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee and
Monklands Hospital in Lanarkshire. A copy of the report is
available on the
SHOW
website.
Currently around 400,000 women a year aged between 20
and 60 accept their invitation for a cervical smear. The
percentage of the eligible female population screened in
2001was 86.5 per cent.
Guidance to the NHS about the introduction of liquid
based cytology is expected to issue in April 2002.