June 2025

Home testing kits for life saving checks against cervical cancer 24 June 25

To all those involved in the cervical screening programme.

You may have already heard but to confirm, Ashley Dalton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, has announced the implementation of a 5-year screening interval for participants aged 25 to 49 years who are high-risk HPV negative at their routine cervical screening test. This change will take effect for any cervical screening samples taken on or after 1^st July 2025.

A system letter has been issued today outlining the change, several documents are uploaded to the FutureNHS platform that will support commissioners and programme providers to prepare for the change to the longer interval. These are:

• NHS Cervical Screening Programme Extended Screening Intervals System Letter
• NHS Cervical Screening Programme Extended Screening Intervals Toolkit and FAQs
• NHS Cervical Screening Programme Extended Screening Intervals (ESI) Implementation Guidance for Commissioners
• Clinical Pathway Protocol – following the implementation of a 5-year screening interval for people aged 24.5 to 49 years
• Updated NHS Cervical Screening Programme Service Specifications

Cervical cancer elimination campaign: Cervical Screening Awareness Week 19 – 24 June

Cervical screening saves approximately 5,000 lives a year in the UK.

It’s the best way to find out who is at higher risk of developing cell changes that could lead to cervical cancer. Eliminating cervical cancer is more achievable than ever before. By getting the HPV vaccination and attending screenings when invited, you’re giving yourself the best possible protection.

Visit nhs.uk for more information on cervical screening.

NHS England has launched its first ever cervical cancer elimination campaign for Cervical Screening Awareness Week 19 – 24 June 2025, continuing to build confidence in the HPV vaccine and cervical screening.

Download the NHSE cervical cancer elimination campaign and toolkit here.

NHS Cervical Screening Programme digital invitations 

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme has now introduced digital invitations and reminders via the NHS App. This means quicker and more convenient access to cervical screening invites when screening is due. For those where a digital invitation isn’t possible, a letter will be posted as a backup. All invitations will guide participants to book appointments in the usual way. We would encourage everyone to download the NHS App and enable notifications.

This digital transformation supports the NHS commitment to put patients in control of their own healthcare, making it easier to manage appointments and health needs. I would like to thank staff involved in delivering NHS Cervical Screening Programme services for playing an important part in ensuring these changes are communicated to women and people with a cervix coming forward for screening.

Continuing to encourage all those eligible remains central to our ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, and we are grateful for the continued efforts to support this aim.

Cervical Screening support session 14.5.25

Thank you to Eve Appeal for presenting at the Cervical Screening support session on 14 May 2025 and thank you to those that could join us virtually.

The slides for the session can be accessed here

The certificate of attendance and feedback form are also live.

The Collated Q&A document from previous sessions is now available. Please be aware that Guidance does update frequently and always refer to the most up to date links, as some of the questions within this document date back to 2023.

Cervical screening opt-in process for transgender and non-binary people

The new opt-in process for transgender and non-binary people to receive automatic routine invitations is now live. GP practice managers and screening providers, including sexual health clinics and transgender services, should now begin to identify and invite eligible participants for a consultation to discuss the opt-in.

A guide outlining the process to be followed, and a recording of the recent NHS England webinar which describes the opt-in can be accessed on FutureNHS (login required).

Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan

Last week NHSE published the Cervical cancer elimination by 2040 – plan for England, which sets out how the NHS will improve equitable uptake and coverage across HPV vaccination and cervical screening to take us towards eliminating cervical cancer by 2040.

The report outlines how we will build on what is already working well to drive vaccination and screening uptake and coverage, focussing on 5 cross-cutting themes: increasing access, raising awareness, reducing inequalities, improving digital capabilities and strengthening workforce capacity.

Former NHS chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said: “Eliminating cervical cancer by 2040 is a momentous and world-leading ambition for the NHS, so I’m incredibly proud that we’re setting out a blueprint to make this a reality and save thousands of women’s lives.”

LGBTQ Webinar

The recording for the LGBTQ webinar and further resources can be accessed here

An NHS Futures account is needed to access the information.