Cervical screening stats improving
Renfrewshire South MSP Tom Arthur has welcomed the most recent cervical screening stats.
New data shows that screening uptake increased from 72.8 per cent to 73.1 per cent between 2017- 18 and 2018- 19 across Scotand.
Local health board NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which includes Paisley, experienced a slight increase, with uptake increasing from 69.3 per cent to 69.7 per cent.
Tom Arthur MSP said:“It is really positive to see that there has been an increase in cervical screening coverage both locally in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, as well as across the majority of health boards in Scotland.
“There is still a long way to go, but these new figures show that reversing the trend of falling attendance – which had unfortunately emerged in recent years – is not impossible and it is vital that this continues.”
Robert Music,chief executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, added: “We are pleased to see that awareness campaigns including those run by the Scottish Government and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust look to have had a positive impact and it’s important to see Scotland continue to invest in them, as today’s results show the benefits they can bring at both national and local level.
“Despite results overall being positive, we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent.
“The youngest age group of 25 and 29, those who are being invited for their very first cervical screening, has sadly shown a further fall, with less than two thirds attending.“