Cervical cancer tests 'in crisis'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.BRITAIN'S CERVICAL screening programme is in crisis, according to senior National Health Service managers.
A survey to be published tomorrow by the managers' union, MSF, says the service is facing severe staffing problems and blames poor pay and adverse publicity.
"In cytological screening, the crisis is here," says Roger Kline of MSF. "What we are seeing is the effect of years of neglect. It is vital the voices of cytology staff are heard, particularly when they talk about low morale and stress within the service."
The cervical screening programme has suffered a number of highly publicised scandals over the last decade including those at hospitals in Canterbury, Liverpool and Norfolk. Even the recent cancer scare at St George's Hospital in south London reflected badly on cytology although it had nothing to do with screeners.
"The profession is demoralised," said Russell Smith, a past President of the Association of Cytologists and a clinical scientist at Brighton General Hospital.
"I have screeners that say they would rather tell people they are prostitutes than cervical screeners, as acquaintances say, 'Aren't you the lot that kill women?'. It is one of the most successful screening programmes in the world. In the last decade we have dropped the death rate by 40 per cent and it continues to decrease by seven per cent per year."
The MSF says 76 per cent of the heads of pathology departments who took part in the survey had experienced difficulties in recruitment over the last 12 months.
Deputy co-ordinator of the NHS national screening programme, Richard Winder, said the survey exaggerated problems. "We wouldn't accept that the service is in crisis . . . there are some recruitment and retaining difficulties which vary from region to region. We have established a working group taking an overview of the workforce as a totality."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments