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Health professionals

Last reviewed: 30 June 2025

Future optimisation of cervical screening

Read information on extending cervical screening intervals, self-sampling and wider quality improvements.

Last reviewed: 30 June 2025

Extending screening intervals

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has recommended the extension of the screening intervals from three to five years for individuals aged 25 to 49 who test HPV negative as part of their routine screen test. 

Scotland, Wales and England have since extended their screening intervals in line with the UK NSC recommendation. Northern Ireland may align their programme in the future too. To ensure public acceptability of an increased screening interval, it’s important to provide people with information about the rationale for any change

For further information, read our article explaining England’s 2025 update to cervical screening intervals. 

Self-sampling 

People can take their own vaginal swab (without a speculum) or urine sample at home or in a clinic to test for HPV. It’s not currently a routine part of the cervical screening programmes in the UK, but it’s been recommended by the UK National Screening Committee as an option for people who never or rarely participate in cervical screening.  

There are plans to implement self-sampling to people who’ve not responded to their invite to cervical screening in England.  Read more in the announcement

Studies suggest that self-sampling could support non-attenders to participate in cervical screening

.  Research to understand the accuracy of self-sampling tests suggest similar sensitivity for HPV between clinician-collected and self-collected samples

However, more research is needed to better understand the feasibility of introducing self-sampling into cervical screening programmes, including clinical and cost effectiveness, as well as any impact on inequalities.  

There are some key studies that have been completed or are ongoing: 

YouScreen 

The YouScreen trial found most participants reported high confidence in self-sampling and would opt for the method in the future

. Preferences were high for people from ethnic minority groups, those who were overdue for screening and those who had never attended cervical screening. Read more in our blog

HPValidate  

The HPValidate trial assessed different self-sampling devices and user acceptability. Although 69% of participants reported they’d complete self-sampling again in the future, 85% of participants wanted a choice between clinician screening and self-sampling

.   

Papillomavirus Dumfries and Galloway study (PaVDaG)  

The Papillomavirus Dumfries and Galloway study (PaVDaG)sent self-sampling kits to cervical screening non-responders and found high sensitivity for cervical cancer, although it was slightly lower compared to clinician-taken samples

. Long-term outcomes suggested that a three to five year interval may also be safe for self-samples

Alternative CErvical Screening (ACES)  

The ACES Colposcopy study compared the sensitivity of urine and cervical samples for high-grade (CIN2+) detection in a colposcopy setting. Urine collected using a first void urine-collection device had promising sensitivity for CIN2+ detection compared with clinician obtained cervical samples, and urine-based self-sampling was mostly acceptable to patients in this population

.

Papcup 

Papcup is an early-stage innovation that tests for high-risk HPV strains in menstrual blood. The test can be taken at home, with a full test report generated within 15 minutes. This research is at a very early stage, and there is still a long way to go with test refinement and progression to clinical trials.  Find out more in our Cancer News article. 

Wider interventions which could optimise cervical screening 

  • Targeted education, information and awareness raising initiatives, with a particular focus on underscreened populations, may improve participation

    .  

  • Support workers have been found to be effective in improving cervical screening uptake across different socioeconomic and ethnic groups, with successful interventions delivered in person at clinical or community settings. See What works? Key recommendations in this HEEC leaflet  

  • Work with faith or community leaders in order to reach underscreened groups and educate them about the reasons for screening. 

  • Ensure screening is offered in convenient places/settings and at convenient times, ensuring the consultation room is as comfortable as possible. 

  • Health systems could work with local workplaces to share cancer screening information and ensure employers can support employee participation

  • Use HPV vaccination as an opportunity to educate young people about cervical cancer prevention and the need for screening.

  • Remote tools such as sending educational videos or online booking may support screening participation whilst limiting administrative burden

Read more about cervical screening

Illustration using three icons of people, representing a group.

Encouraging informed participation

The latest evidence on barriers and actions to support people to access cervical screening.

Illustration of a magnifying glass.

Cervical cancer prevention: HPV vaccination and screening

Read about primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and cervical screening coverage.

Illustration of a cervix.

Cervical

Get resources to support uptake, including information on safety netting and barriers to participation.

References

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    Castanon A, Landy R, Sasieni P. By how much could screening by primary human papillomavirus testing reduce cervical cancer incidence in England?. J Med Screen. 2017  

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    Drysdale H. et al., Self-sampling for cervical screening offered at the point of invitation: A cross-sectional study of preferences in England. Journal of Medical Screening. 2022  

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    Wedisinghe, L. et al., The Impact of Offering Multiple Cervical Screening Options to Women Whose Screening Was Overdue in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2022  

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    Lim A. et al. Opportunistic offering of self-sampling to non-attenders within the English cervical screening programme: a pragmatic, multicentre, implementation feasibility trial with randomly allocated cluster intervention start dates (YouScreen). eClinicalMedicine, 2024.  

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    Drysdale H, et al., Experiences of Self-Sampling and Future Screening Preferences in Non-Attenders Who Returned an HPV Vaginal Self-Sample in the YouScreen Study: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Questionnaire. Health Expect. 2024. 

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    Arbyn M. et al., Detecting cervical precancer and reaching underscreened women by using HPV testing on self samples: updated meta-analyses. BMJ. 2018 

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    Landy R., et al., Non-Speculum Clinician-Taken Samples for Human Papillomavirus Testing: A Cross-Sectional Study in Older Women. British Journal of General Practice, 2022.  

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    Marlow L, Drysdale H, Waller J. Attitudes towards being offered a choice of self-sampling or clinician sampling for cervical screening: A cross-sectional survey of women taking part in a clinical validation of HPV self-collection devices. Journal of Medical Screening. 2024. 

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    Stanczuk, G. et al., Clinical validation of hrHPV testing on vaginal and urine self-samples in primary cervical screening (cross-sectional results from the Papillomavirus Dumfries and Galloway—PaVDaG study). BMJ Open, 2016. 

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    Stanczuk, G.A. et al., Self-sampling as the principal modality for population based cervical screening: Five-year follow-up of the PaVDaG study. Int. J. Cancer. 2022. 

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    Davies JC et al. Urine high-risk human papillomavirus testing as an alternative to routine cervical screening: A comparative diagnostic accuracy study of two urine collection devices using a randomised study design trial. BJOG. 2024. 

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    Descamps P. et al. Turning the tide—Recommendations to increase cervical cancer screening among women who are underscreened. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2024. 

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    Mon, H.M., Robb, K.A. & Demou, E. Effectiveness of workplace cancer screening interventions: a systematic review. BMC Cancer, 2024. 

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    Haith L, et al. A Retrospective Observational Study on the Impact of Digital Strategies to Boost Cervical Screening Uptake in Primary Care. Cancer Control. 2025. 


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