NHS staff offered cervical cancer screening at work

NHS staff in Wolverhampton are being checked for cervical cancer at a new screening clinic while they are at work.

The gynaecology nursing team at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) set up the clinic to help staff fit cervical screening tests, also known as smear tests, into their schedules.

A total of 89 members of staff have been seen since monthly clinics were launched last summer, the trust said.

Tina Wellsbury, a bone density scanner at RWT, said her check revealed she had abnormal cells which led to treatment that would not have been picked up otherwise.

The 49-year-old said: "I have been having regular smear tests since I was 24 when it showed I had abnormal cells.

"Due to this, I have had regular check and smear tests."

Her results led to her having two cone biopsies, a small operation to remove a cone shaped piece of tissue from the cervix.

"I would urge anyone to book their test. There is nothing to be nervous about and it could save your life," Ms Wellsbury continued.

"If I hadn't had my smear test the cells wouldn't have been picked up, so I am so grateful for the test."

Women are routinely invited for cervical cancer screenings every three to five years, between the ages of 25 and 64.

NHS England has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer - the 14th most common cancer in women - in the UK by 2040.

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