'Screen stars' boost Middlesbrough smear screening rate

Many GP surgeries in Middlesbrough made changes to make it easier for women to attend

A pilot scheme encouraging women in Middlesbrough to take up cervical screening has been hailed a success.

It follows national concern at the low rates of take up of smear tests.

The town's public health team introduced measures such as "screen stars" cards which GP surgeries handed out afterwards, offering discounts from some local businesses.

From October 2018 to March, 5,130 women were tested, compared to 4,245 in the same period the previous year.

The team began by asking local women why they were not attending, and reasons included not wanting a man to do the test, childcare issues, and surgery opening hours.

Many GP surgeries then took these issues on board, offering evening appointments, a woman to carry out the test, the chance to go along with a friend, and text message notifications.

'Big shout out'

A free magazine featuring information, survivors' stories and fashion tips, all provided by local women, was handed out in non-clinical settings such as hair salons, nail bars and tattoo parlours.

The scheme, which has attracted interest from health trusts around the north east, has now been extended for another year.

Tracey Lean, cancer prevention and early diagnosis improvement officer at Public Health South Tees, said that what made the difference was everyone "linking up".

She said: "We would like to give a big shout out to all the ladies who have attended their smears, the businesses that were kind enough to offer a discount, [those] who stocked our magazine, and the GP services.

"Working together has really made a big difference."

This article was created as part of We Are Middlesbrough - a BBC project with the people of the town to tell the stories which matter to them.

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