New screening practitioner is making it her goal to educate

Although Diane Mathews said screenings of all types are important, cervical cancer is stealing the spotlight for Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, which runs until 23 January.

‘In my new position, I’ll be looking at all types of screening, and they are all important,’ she said.

‘But I want to emphasise that cervical screenings are now free of charge, and they are available to anyone with a cervix.’

Ms Mathews has a background in community health and stepping into the established position, she is seeking to educate the Bailiwick to improve health outcomes.

‘Guernsey already has excellent screening uptake, but it’s about overcoming those last couple of hurdles to reach 100% uptake,’ she said.

Although the statistics for 2021 have not been released, Ms Mathews said the most recent screening statistics showed approximately 60% uptake in 25 to 49-year-olds with a cervix, and approximately 63% uptake among 50 to 65-year-olds.

‘Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and it only takes a few minutes to get tested,’ said Ms Mathews.

‘And the good news is that both the HPV vaccine and the screening are completely free of charge.’

Ms Mathews explained that many people feel nervous before a cervical screening, but screening practitioners are trained to provide support and education to patients throughout the process.

‘It’s also important to let patients know that they are in control of the process, and they can stop the screening at any time,’ she said.

Ms Mathews believes that education is the best response to fear, and she explained that during a screening, the doctor or nurse will gently brush cells from the cervix using a soft brush, and the sample will be sent to a laboratory for examination. Each year in Guernsey and Alderney, approximately five new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed with approximately one or two deaths from cervical cancer recorded per year.

Screening is highly effective as it detects the presence of HPV in the cervix and ensures early abnormalities or early signs of cervical cancer are identified and treated earlier.

Cervical screening programme is for people with a cervix aged 25 to 49 every three years, and aged 50 to 65 every five years.

Screening is widely offered and recommended to all people with a cervix, including women, transgendered men, people who are intersex and people who are non-binary.

Ms Mathews also emphasised that cervical screenings are recommended for everyone with a cervix, regardless of sexual orientation.