More than quarter of a million Greater Manchester women miss their cervical cancer screenings - why it's important, according to experts

More than 250,000 women in Greater Manchester missed their latest cervical screening, commonly referred to as a smear test. The revealing figures come as, in certain areas of the country, some 1 in 2 women and people with a cervix don’t attend cervical screening when invited, according to cervical cancer experts.

Invitations for cervical screening were suspended in April 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resumed from June 2020. While those with symptoms or previous history were still seen, checks were put on hold for those who were lower risk.

Across England, just 67.9 per cent of those aged 25 to 49 invited to screening had had a test in the previous three years as of March last year. That was the lowest level since records began in 2002.

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Cervical screening checks a sample of cells from the cervix for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). These types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells, which can go on to cause cancer, and are called "high risk" types of HPV.

If these types of HPV are found during screening (an HPV positive result), the sample of cells is then checked for abnormal changes. If abnormal cells are not treated, they may turn into cervical cancer.

Rates had improved slightly in March 2020, when 70.2 per cent of those in this age group had been tested. However, generally the proportion going to their screening has been falling since a high of 74.0 per cent in March 2010 - a peak most likely due to the Jade Goody effect, following publicity around the reality star’s illness and death from cervical cancer in March 2009.

At the end of December last year in Greater Manchester, a third