Scandal of the 100,000 women left waiting for cervical test results

A backlog of 100,000 cervical screening tests has been uncovered – just as a Government campaign is urging women to get the life-saving checks.

Just a third of patients received their test results within the recommended two weeks at times last year, investigations by the National Audit Office found.

Changes to testing arrangements have been blamed for the delays, which have left some waiting an agonising four months for results.

The findings are the latest in a string of embarrassments for the NHS screening programmes following blunders which meant hundreds of thousands were not invited for breast or cervical screening.

They come amid alarm that the uptake of the screening programme has fallen to an all-time low, a trend blamed on ‘body image’ embarrassment – concerns which have prompted a new awareness campaign by Public Health England.

The report found none of the programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancers met the national coverage targets for how many people should be screened last year.

NHS England said the rollout of new tests for human papilloma virus, which causes 95 per cent of cervical cancer cases, was largely responsible for the backlog – which peaked at more than 150,000 patients waiting in March last year and still stood at 98,000 in November.

The changes, which mean women will now be tested for HPV before receiving a smear test, require new equipment and laboratory set-ups.

It has reduced the need for lab testing – but the closure of many laboratories has led to an exodus of NHS staff in the area, leading to a build-up of samples waiting to be tested.

Charities said the NAO’s findings were ‘deeply concerning’ and too many have been left worrying about their health.

Robert Music, chief executive of cervical cancer charity Jo’s Trust, said: ‘Over the past year we have had many women contacting us with concerns over delays in their results and it is simply not fair that women should be put under undue stress as a result of failings in the programme management.’

The NAO report said the target for 98 per cent of women to receive their results within 14 days of their screening had not been met since November 2015.

In March 2018, only 33 per cent of women were getting their results on time, although this had improved to 55 per cent by December. 

The report also noted problems with dated IT systems and databases, meaning concerns remain that women may miss out on cancer screening invitations.

Labour MP Meg Hillier, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, said: ‘It is worrying that not everyone who is eligible to take part in screening programmes is doing so. 

The findings come as Public Health England has launched a new awareness campaign around cervical screenings (file picture)

‘It is unacceptable that these important screening programmes are being let down by complex and ageing IT.’

The report comes a week after Public Health England announ-ced its Be Clear On Cancer drive to encourage women to go for screening amid falling numbers.

Attendance is just 71 per cent of invitations – down from a peak of 75.7 per cent in 2011, credited to the ‘Jade Goody effect’ after the death of the reality TV star from the disease.

Around 3,200 British women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and 1,000 die from the disease. 

Experts say another 2,000 women would die every year without the screening programme.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘We are already working closely with NHS England and Public Health England to address the issues this useful report highlights.

‘An independent review announced by NHS England is looking at cancer screening services. We expect this to lead to an overhaul of the system.’