Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership staff took part in national charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust first ever roadshow in Glasgow on 20 March 2017 at Glasgow’s George Square. The Be Cervix Savvy Roadshow will visit 11 cities over a 14 week period across the UK and started in Glasgow as the area has the lowest attendance of cervical screening in Scotland, and incidence of cervical cancer is currently the highest since 1993.

Last year over one in three women in Greater Glasgow did not attend potentially life-saving cervical screening when invited, and the charity hopes that their roadshow will help to reverse this through raising awareness of the role of the test in preventing cervical cancer.

Statistics show that 385 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in Scotland in 2014[1], a worrying 18% increase from the previous year. Despite cervical screening preventing up to 75% of cervical cancers, the number of women attending the test is currently at a 10 year low[2].

Siobhan Harkin from the North East Locality Health Improvement Team took part in the roadshow. She said:

“We visited four locations in Glasgow: George Square (20-21 March), Buchanan Street (23-24 March), Easterhouse (27-28 March) and Parkhead (30-31 March). Staff answered questions about all aspects of cervical cancer, including the HPV vaccination, cervical screening, signs and symptoms of cervical cancer and how women can reduce their risk of the disease.”

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is the UK’s only dedicated charity offering support and information to women of all ages and their loved ones affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities. The National Helpline is on 0808 802 8000.