Did you know that every year in the UK, 1 in 4 women and people with a cervix don’t attend their cervical screening (smear test) appointments when they are invited? While there are many reasons it can be a difficult test, we know that getting an appointment around work can be a huge challenge. We want to change that.
Cervical screening might not be something you look forward to, but it is a test that saves thousands of lives every year. That’s why we’re proud to have signed up to be a Time to Test employer and committed to ensuring all our staff have the time to test. The health of our staff is important and we want to support them to attend this appointment which can prevent cervical cancer.
Time to Test is a campaign run by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, the UK’s leading cervical cancer charity. They provide valuable, trustworthy information and support for anyone who has questions or wants to talk about any aspect of cervical screening and results and are there for anyone with cell changes or cervical cancer diagnosis.
How does it work?
We are happy to encourage our staff to arrange a cervical screening appointment during work hours. It’s the lack of available time which prevents many from going for their routine check, so let’s make this an acceptable part of working life.
As part of the campaign, we also want to raise awareness of cervical cancer and prevention. Did you know one-day cervical cancer could be a thing of the past?! We want to make that happen.
Here are some important links:
- Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s support services – ask questions, speak to someone who understands: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/get-support
- Tips for making a cervical screening appointment better and more comfortable:https://www.jostrust.org.uk/information/cervical-screening/cervical-screening-tips
- What is a smear test? Read information here: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/information/cervical-screening/what-is-cervical-screening
