WOMEN in Barnsley will now be able to access cervical screening appointments in Barnsley at evening and weekends.
Nurses from the iHEART Barnsley service will be offering cervical screening appointments on Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm to 10.30pm and on Sundays from 10am to 2pm at the Chapelfield Medical Centre in Wombwell.
The appointments have been set up to help women get appointments at a time most suitable to them. Appointments can be booked in advance by contacting your GP Surgery and asking to be referred to i-Heart’s screening service.
Cervical screening is not a test for cancer, but a pre-cancer screening to notice any changes to the cervix before a problem arises. Some 95 per cent of screenings come back negative and cervical cancer is rare, making up less than one per cent of all cancer cases, as smear tests are good at catching and treating potential problems early enough to prevent it.
Dr Hussain Kadarsha, GP at Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Cervical cancer is one of the cancers that can be prevented through screening by picking up early changes in the cells before the disease develops. So being able to offer extended access to cervical screening appointments is a great thing for women in Barnsley.
“We’ve seen drop in and evening sessions prove really popular recently. We’re hoping to see these opening times encourage more women to have their screening.
“The best way for women to protect themselves against cervical cancer is by taking up their cervical screening appointments.
“We know that many women don’t attend their appointment for a variety of reasons, but we want to make sure that appointments are available at the best times to suit them.”
For more information about booking appointments, visit the iHEART Barnsley website at iheartbarnsley.org.uk
