Women urged to have potentially life-saving screening

Company news

Jun 15, 2015

A PORTSMOUTH GP practice is urging the 20 per cent of women who ignore their cervical screening invitation to think again as the screening could save their life.

Dr Marjorie Gillespie is Primary Care Medical Director at Care UK, which is contracted by Portsmouth Health to run Guildhall Walk Healthcare Centre in Guildhall Walk on behalf of the local NHS. She said 20 per cent is far too high a figure and she wants to use Cervical Screening Awareness Week (June 15-21) to encourage women who have received their screening invite to make an appointment with the practice nurse.

“The NHS cervical screening programme aims to reduce the number of women who develop invasive cervical cancer and the number of women who die from it by regularly screening all women at risk so that conditions which might otherwise develop into invasive cancer can be identified and treated.

“Being screened regularly means any abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix can be identified at an early stage and, if necessary, treated to stop cancer developing. It is estimated that early detection and treatment can prevent up to 75 per cent of cervical cancers so it is really important women who receive their screening invite letters make an appointment,” she said.

Guildhall Walk Healthcare Centre is open 8am-8pm, 365 days a year for walk-in patients. These extended hours have also made it a very popular choice with patients who have chosen it as their registered GP surgery. Further information about registering as a patient with Guildhall Walk Healthcare Centre can be obtained on 02392 808 539.