Cervical smears

Cervical screening is NOT a test for cervical cancer. It is a method of preventing cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities which, if left untreated, could eventually lead to cancer. Under the present NHS guidelines women aged 25 to 64 years old are invited to attended for a free cervical smear. Since 2003 the NHS Cervical Screening Programme has offered screening at different intervals depending on age. The first invitation takes place at 25 years old then every 3 years between 25 and 49 and every 5 years between 50 to 64 years old. Many women feel that the 3 year and 5 year intervals are too long. There is therefore a demand from a lot of women to have their smears done more frequently than this. We understand this and are able to supply this service to those women requesting it.  

Dr Alison Bolton and Dr. Gordon Jones are both fully trained in the new technique of smear taking using Liquid Based Cytology (LBC).

Further information about LBC and cervical screening in general can be seen at the NHS's website at www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical.  or at  www.tellher.com

Using LBC, the smear itself is taken in a similar way to before, so women who have had a smear in the past will probably not notice anything different, but the way the sample is then prepared ready for analysis is different. The resulting sample is a much purer sample of the cells from the cervix. This makes analysis of the smear more straight forward and has had led to a reduction in the number of so called "inadequate smears" where the smear needs to be repeated because not enough cells have been collected to allow the pathologist to give an accurate report. 

All our smears are analysed at the Cervical Cytology Department at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. The final report comes from a Consultant Pathologist who has personally checked the result before sending it back to us.

Please note these are additional smears to the NHS screening programme. You will continue to be recalled by the NHS in the usual way. If our cervical smear shows that some intervention or earlier recall is needed, we will inform your GP ( with your permission) who can then implement this through the NHS screening programme.

Please call today to book your appointment, you are very welcome to bring your partner or a friend along with you  01246-590530.