Government must act to restore confidence in cervical screening
Following the Scottish Government statement regarding the cervical screening programme, Scottish Greens health and social care spokesperson Gillian Mackay MSP said:
“Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 25 to 35 years of age in Scotland and around six women in Scotland are diagnosed with cervical cancer every week. Cervical screening is the best protection against cervical cancer but many women’s confidence in the programme will have been undermined after today’s announcement, particularly when we are learning more about how women’s health problems are being missed, ignored or misdiagnosed. It’s vital that ministers take urgent action to restore confidence in the cervical screening programme and encourage women to continue to attend their appointments.
“The government has said that women who have received total hysterectomies should not contact health services but wait to see if they are contacted. This will be an extremely anxious time for any woman who has received a hysterectomy. It’s therefore essential that this work is carried out at pace and all those affected are contacted urgently.”