Women’s Health

Cervical Screening Test

All women between the ages of 25 and 64 are encouraged to have regular cervical screening tests to detect pre –cancerous changes at the neck of the womb.

  • Women should receive their first invitation for screening at 25.
  • Women aged 25-49 are invited for screening every three years.
  • Women aged 50-64 are invited for screening every five years.
  • Women aged 65 or over are only screened if they have not been screened since they were 50 or have had recent abnormal test results.

    • You are invited to attend and see the practice nurse, please ring the appointment line to arrange an appointment.

    If times/dates at the surgery are not suitable you may ring the Family Planning Clinic on 0161 426 5599 between 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Monday to Friday, they offer appointments early evenings at a number of different clinics in the local area.

    A smear is a test to pick up very early changes in the cervix which could become cancer in the future. However 90% of smears are normal.

    Negative

    Your smear test is normal. However, if you experience abnormal bleeding you should see a doctor.

    Inadequate

    The smear is unsuitable for testing and therefore has to be repeated 3 months later.

    Abnormal smears

    Only a small percentage of smears are abnormal. This means that there are changes that if left untreated, may become cancer in the future.

    Most of these changes return to normal without treatment being required. You are usually asked to return for a repeat smear test in 6-12 months. If treatment is needed it is almost 100% effective involving a minor procedure in the hospital outpatient department. You will be referred to the hospital for a colposcopy.

    Results

    Stockport Primary Care Trust will inform you of your results via the post to you home address approximately 6-8 weeks following you smear test.

    We will also write to you if there is any problem with your smear result or if early review is required.

    You can access more information regarding cervical screening tests on the NHS Cervical Screening Programme website.

    NHS Breast Screening Programme

    The NHS Breast Screening Programme provides free breast screening every three years for all women in the UK aged 50 and over. Around one-and-a-half million women are screened in the UK each year. The NHS Breast Screening Programme is phasing in an extension of the age range of women eligible for breast screening to those aged 47 to 73 starting in 2010.

    The NHS Breast Screening Programme will extend the age range of women eligible for breast screening to ages 47 to 73 by 2012.

    There are around 90 breast screening units across the UK. All women registered with a GP will receive their first invitation to attend for a mammogram some time between their 50th and 53rd birthdays. Invitations are then sent every three years until a woman reaches her 71st birthday. If you have not received an invitation, your GP can arrange for one to be sent to you. If you have any worrying breast symptoms while waiting for a breast screening appointment, contact your GP, who can refer you to the breast clinic if necessary.

    You can access more information regarding breast screening on the NHS Breast Screening Programme website.

    Family Planning Clinic

    Family planning clinics offer free, confidential advice, and information about contraception and sexual health.

    You can get details of your nearest family planning clinic from the phone book, your GP, local hospital, health authority, or from the Family Planning Association (FPA) website.

    Family planning clinics can be used by women, men and young people, including those who are under 16 years of age. Most health authorities also have specific services for young people.

    You can refer yourself to a family planning clinic, or you can be referred by your GP, or another health worker. However, you may need to book an appointment to see a healthcare professional at a family planning clinic. Many family planning clinics also run walk-in clinics.

    Family planning clinics provide a range of services including:

    • confidential advice about contraception,
    • the combined oral contraceptive pill,
    • the progestogen-only pill,
    • progestogen injections,
    • limited supplies of free condoms,
    • free emergency contraception,
    • confidential advice about STIs,
    • cervical screening,
    • unplanned pregnancy advice,
    • free pregnancy tests,
    • pre-conception advice and fertility awareness information, and
    • fitting and checking of caps, diaphragms, and coils (intrauterine devices, or IUDs).

    Further Information on Women’s Health is available on the NHS Live Well website.