Behind the headlines: Changes to the NHS Cervical Screening Programme

Changes to the NHS cervical screening programme recently received widespread media coverage, with public health officials sharing the news that some women will be screened less often.

In this blog we explain how women in Yorkshire will be affected, why the change has happened and what the future of cervical screening might look like as the NHS strives to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.   

From 1 July 2025, women in England aged 25 to 49 will be invited to attend cervical screening every five years, instead of every three years, if they test negative for human papillomavirus (HPV).

The NHS England announcement comes after a recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee, a group of experts who advise the Government and the NHS on how screening programmes are delivered.

Women aged 50 to 64 will continue to be screened every five years, as they have been previously.

Cervical screening is not a test to detect cancer, but rather to prevent the development of cancer. At a cervical screening appointment, a small sample of cells is taken from the cervix then sent to a laboratory. 

The cell sample is tested for HPV, a common virus which causes 99% of cervical cancer cases. An HPV infection can normally be cleared by the immune system, but in a small number of cases the infection doesn’t clear and can cause the cells of the cervix to change over time. These changes might lead to cervical cancer if they are not detected and monitored or treated.

An HPV-negative cell sample means the risk of cervical cancer is very low, and women aged 25 to 49 with this result will now be invited to attend screening every five years. 

If a woman tests positive for HPV, their sample will be examined under a microscope for any cell changes. This is also known as a ‘cytology test’. Further examination using a ‘colposcopy’ may also be needed, where a doctor looks at the cervix. 

If there are no cell changes, women will be invited to a screening appointment a year later to check if the HPV has gone.

If cell changes are present, they will either be monitored or treatment will be offered to remove the cells. In very rare circumstances, cervical cancer may be detected. 

Cervical screening used to involve looking at samples to identify any changes to cells, rather than testing for HPV. 

In 2019, the test was changed to look for HPV first, which is a much more accurate method of identifying people at highest risk of developing cervical cancer. 

Those with a positive HPV result are at the highest risk of cervical cancer, while those without HPV have a very low risk of developing cervical cancer.

With the introduction of HPV testing, screening can be tailored to a person’s individual risk, so those at highest risk of developing cancer can benefit from more regular screening. 

High-quality scientific evidence has shown that a five-year period between cervical screenings is just as effective at preventing cancer.

This is because scientists estimate that if a HPV infection leads to cancer, it usually takes around 15 to 20 years for this to happen. 

Research shows the new approach to cervical cancer screening offers 60 to 70% greater protection against cervical cancer compared to the old process. A number of large clinical trials across Europe have shown it is safe to extend the screening interval from three years to five years, for those who have a negative HPV test result.

Every year in Yorkshire, 248 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 66 people sadly die from it. Around seven in ten women in Yorkshire aged 25 to 49 attend their screening appointment when invited to take part. 

Screening is crucial because cervical cancer is almost completely preventable. NHS England’s ambition is to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, through a combination of HPV vaccination and cervical screening.

In England, cervical screening currently prevents 70% of all cervical cancer deaths. And if everyone attended cervical screening regularly, then as many as 83% of deaths could be prevented.

Yorkshire Cancer Research welcomes the change to cervical screening, which will enable a more personalised approach. Thanks to advancements in cancer research, strong evidence shows that if a person tests negative for HPV, they are highly unlikely to develop cervical cancer within the next five years. If a person tests positive for HPV or cell changes are detected, they can now benefit from more frequent screening and additional tests.

However, it is understandable some women may be concerned about the changes and worry about the extended interval between screening appointments. So it is important the changes and the supporting evidence are communicated clearly by the NHS, national bodies and cancer charities.

Regardless of the screening interval, we need to do more to make sure that more women attend cervical screening when invited. Around 3 in 10 women invited in Yorkshire do not attend their appointments, and this figure varies considerably across our region. Efforts should continue to encourage more people to take part in cervical screening when invited.

It is also important for women to know the symptoms of cervical cancer to look out for in between screenings and to contact their GP surgery as soon as possible if they are worried.

As part of its upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, the Government has just announced that at-home HPV tests will be offered to women who have rarely or never attended cervical screening. 

From January 2026, under-screened women will be sent a self-sampling kit in the post. Once completed, they can return the test via pre-paid mail in the local post box. People will an HPV-positive test will be invited to attend an in-person appointment for further tests with a clinician.

This marks an important milestone in cervical screening, meaning many more people will be able to benefit from this life-saving programme. Yorkshire Cancer Research has been calling for at-home tests to be introduced and supported the UK National Screening Committee’s proposal to offer self-sampling for HPV testing in response to its consultation in February 2025. The charity is pleased that its recommendation has now been adopted.

There are many reasons why women don’t attend cervical screening, including time constraints, embarrassment about the procedure and fear of pain. 

As part of its commitment to find ways to innovate and improve screening so everyone can benefit from the earliest possible diagnosis, Yorkshire Cancer Research has supported studies that have helped provide evidence on the benefits of at-home testing. 

The charity is funding a study called ‘Catch-up Screen’, which offers at-home HPV urine tests to women aged 60 to 79 in Hull, who either did not take up their last invitation or are no longer eligible for the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. 

Preliminary findings from the study have shown that approximately half of those invited take up the offer of an at-home urine test. These findings suggest that offering urine tests as part of cervical screening could increase participation among people who don’t currently attend cervical screening when invited.

Additionally, Public Health England’s HPValidate study found that 85% of women would prefer to have the choice between self-sampling and screening by a clinician.

Based on findings from a large clinical trial called YouScreen, which offered home testing kits to women in London, the introduction of self-sampling is estimated to have the potential to screen nearly 104,000 more women for HPV in Yorkshire over a three-year period. 

This change in policy would help more people in our region live healthier, longer lives, free from cancer.

The HPV vaccine, introduced in 2008, will also play a key role in eliminating cervical cancer. The vaccine is recommended for children aged 12 to 13 years old and helps prevent cervical cancer by reducing the risk of getting HPV. 

The vaccine is so effective that a study from Public Health Scotland published last year found that no cervical cancer cases have been detected in fully vaccinated women in Scotland since the programme was launched. While it is expected that vaccinated women will need to be screened even less frequently in the future, it is still important that people who are vaccinated continue to attend screening when invited.

It is clear that innovations in cervical screening and continued vaccination could see the elimination of cervical cancer become a reality. But it is essential that the Government, public health organisations and charities take vital action to ensure everyone is screened and vaccinated when invited.