At-home DIY cervical cancer screening test could be rolled out ‘early 2026’, NHS says
AT- HOME cervical screening tests could be rolled out in England from as early as next year, health chiefs have announced.
The move could “revolutionise access” to screening and help eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, according to NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard.
Planning is underway to allow women to order DIY tests through the NHS App – or potentially through GPs and pharmacies – from early 2026.
The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) will soon consider this option for those who don’t take part in the regular screening programme.
Other initiatives being explored include offering HPV vaccinations in community settings like pharmacies.
The goal is to make screening more accessible, especially for those who might not attend appointments otherwise.
Amanda – who’s due to step down from her post – said: “Eliminating cervical cancer by 2040 is a momentous and world-leading ambition for the NHS, so I’m incredibly proud that we’re setting out a blueprint to make this a reality and save thousands of women’s lives.
“We are really excited about the potential to revolutionise access to screening through self-testing, and this major plan sets out how the NHS stands ready to roll out DIY swab kits for thousands of women.
“These tests could in future enable women to take part in screening from the comfort of their own homes, by simply ordering a kit via the NHS App, or through their GP or pharmacy.”
Women between 25 and 49 are currently invited for cervical screening every three years, while women aged 50 to 64 are invited every five years.
Despite these efforts, data shows five million women are not up to date with routine checks.
The new plan includes expanding the “ping and book” service, which sends reminders for screening appointments.
Amanda said: “We know busy life can get in the way, which is why the NHS is making it even easier to come forward – starting with extending our ‘ping and book’ service to cervical cancer, with more and more women to receive invites on their phone via the NHS App later this year.”
HPV vaccinations are already offered to school-age children.
According to NHS England, 77 per cent of girls and 71 per cent of boys vaccinated by year 10 in the 2023/24 academic year.
The NHS said it will look at expanding catch-up programmes for people who missed out on the jab, including offering them in settings like pharmacies.
Trans men and non-binary people with a cervix will also be automatically invited for screening, using a new IT system.
Amanda said: “To help boost uptake further, we will also offer HPV vaccinations in new community settings such as pharmacies, as well as enabling people to track the vaccinations they are eligible for and book appointments at the touch of a button via the app.
“Together we can make this life-saving ambition a reality and save many more women the pain and trauma of cancer, and I’m delighted in my final week as chief executive to see the NHS set a clear path to making cervical cancer a disease of the past.”
The plan aims to address workforce shortages and improve training for specialists too.
Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of the Eve Appeal charity, welcomed the publication of the plan.
“We were delighted when an ambitious but achievable target for elimination was set for England, but as we know, a target is just a number if it doesn’t have a plan behind it,” she added.
“Achieving cervical elimination does not mean ‘fixing’ one thing – it needs several different strategies and evidence-based approaches across HPV vaccination, improving screening uptake and ensure those with a positive HPV result move into treatment swiftly.”
Who's at risk of cervical cancer?
Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by an infection with certain high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is the name for a very common group of viruses that most people will get some type of HPV during their lives.
It’s very common and nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about.
You can get HPV from any kind of skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, not just from penetrative sex.
This includes:
- Vaginal, oral or anal sex
- Any skin-to-skin contact of the genital area
- Sharing sex toys
In most cases your body will get rid of HPV without it causing any problems.
But sometimes HPV can stay in your body for a long time and some types of high risk types of HPV can cause cervical cancer.
If high risk types of HPV stay in your body, they can cause changes to the cells in your cervix. These changes may become cervical cancer if not treated.
How to lower your risk of cervical cancer
You can’t always prevent cervical cancer. But there are things you can do to lower your chances of getting cervical cancer.
Cervical screening and HPV vaccination are the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.
- All women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 are invited for regular cervical screening. It helps find and treat any changes in the cells of the cervix before they can turn into cancer.
- All children aged 12 to 13 are offered the HPV vaccine. It helps protect against the types of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer, as well as some other cancers and genital warts.
You can also lower your chance of getting cervical cancer by:
- Using condoms, which lower your chance of getting HPV – but they do not cover all the skin around your genitals so you’re not fully protected
- Quitting smoking – smoking can weaken your immune system and the chemicals in cigarettes can also cause cervical cancer
Source: NHS