Drive for 'more reliable' cervical cancer testing unveiled

The government has announced a £7.2 million package over the next two years to help create a "new, more reliable technique" for screening women for cervical cancer.

The announcement follows a recommendation from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) that the NHS should introduce the more accurate Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) technique. This "more advanced technique" means that smear test for cervical cancer are easier to read, and more accurate at detecting early signs of the disease. It is hoped that the LCB process will "dramatically reduce" the numbers of women who have to be retested.

Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson said: "At the moment up to 300,000 women a year have to have their smear test redone because it cannot be read properly. This of course causes real anxiety and uncertainty. This new technique will reduce the numbers of women who have to have their smear test repeated from 1 in 10 to 1 in 100.

"We are using this opportunity to modernise the entire cervical screening programme and standardise the service around the country."

Speaking at the Britain Against Cancer Conference today Miss Johnson also announced the next major step to ready the NHS for bowel cancer screening. Three national and seven regional endoscopy training centres will be established across the country to increase the numbers of staff trained to carry out this crucial diagnostic procedure.

The minister said that the NHS now has a "world-leading programme" of services to help people stop smoking and since 2000 over 300,000 people have been helped to quit for at least four weeks.

Screening has contributed to fall in deaths of over 20% from breast cancer and the extension of the breast screening programme to women aged 65-70 means 150,000 more women are being invited for screening. Once the roll out is complete an additional 400,000 women will be invited for screening, a 40% increase in the service.

Over 98% of people with suspected cancer who are urgently referred by their GP are now seen by a specialist within two weeks.

An extra £50 million has been allocated for palliative care which has enabled cancer networks to invest in 70 additional consultants in palliative medicine, 162 more clinical nurse specialists and extra Marie Curie nurses.

(gmcg)