400,000 women a year checked out in Scotland

Published on Wednesday 6 April 2011 18:56

Cervical screening was introduced in Scotland in the 1960s, but while large numbers of women were offered tests, the service was not as widely available as it is today.

The national cervical screening programme began in Scotland in 1988 with the aim of reducing the overall incidence of cancer. The test is offered to all eligible women aged 20-60 every three years. It can identify pre-cancerous cell changes in women who otherwise have no symptoms. At this stage, any changes can be easily treated, and treatment is usually very effective.

In 2009-10, about 415,500 cervical tests were processed through the programme.

Of these tests, some 91 per cent had a negative result, while 3.4 per cent showed some degree of pre-cancerous change. Some women must have repeat tests if the first attempt is not suitable.

The tests are normally carried out in GP practices. The surgeries then send the samples away to NHS labs in each health board area for analysis. Results are normally back within two to three weeks.