New figures show fewer people in Milton Keynes had cervical screenings last year

New figures show fewer people in Milton Keynes had cervical screenings last year, as charities urge those eligible to get tested.

NHS England figures show over 66 per cent of nearly 87,600 eligible 25 to 64-year-olds in Milton Keynes were adequately screened as of March 31.

It was down by one per cent the year before, and below the target of 80 per cent.

Nationally, 68.7 per cent of eligible individuals aged 25 to 64 were adequately screened this year – a fall from 69.9 per cent in 2022.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said it is ‘incredibly frustrating’ to see targets missed for the 19th year in a row and called the NHS England’s goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040 ‘challenging’.

Chief executive Martin Hunt said: "We understand that it’s not an easy appointment for everyone. It can sometimes be difficult to attend for a variety of reasons including work and childcare commitments, anxiety, and misinformation surrounding the test.

"But these tests are vital, they can prevent cancer."

The national decline was driven by a fall in 24 to 49-year-olds being screened. This age group is invited for tests every three years.

In Milton Keynes, just over 64 per cent were screened as of March this year – a fall of around 1.5 per cent.

Of the eligible 50 to 64-year-olds in the area – invited every five years – 71.8 per cent were tested as of this year – 0.2 per cent down from the year before.

Nicola Smith from Cancer Research UK said the screening programme saves thousands of lives every year.

She added: "We encourage women and people with a cervix, such as trans men and non-binary people assigned female at birth, to take part."

She suggested people who find cervical screening uncomfortable ask for a longer time slot to speak about concerns.

NHS screening boss Steve Russell said eliminating cervical cancer in the next two decades is possible, but relies on millions of people coming forward for tests.

He added: "The NHS is doing everything we can to achieve our ambition by making it as easy as possible to make appointments, with the latest figures showing the NHS arranged cervical screening for over 3.4 million women last year."