Tue, 04/04/2017 - 15:36
The Scottish Government is demonstrating their commitment to cervical cancer prevention by supporting two initiatives in Glasgow to increase attendance of cervical screening. Attendance of the potentially life-saving test is just 63.5% in Glasgow, the lowest uptake across Scotland, and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is working to change this through two innovative new outreach projects.
The charity launched the UK’s first cervical cancer prevention roadshow in Glasgow on 20 March and the team spoke to over 700 women to raise much needed awareness of cervical screening. To enable the charity to reach even more women the Scottish Government has announced a grant of £180,600 to fund an innovative new outreach service targeting women less likely to attend cervical screening.
Aileen Campbell MSP Minister for Public Health and Sport visited the Roadshow at Forge Market on its last day in the city and said: “I’m delighted to have visited the roadshow and meet the team who are doing such great work to spread this important message about cervical cancer screening. The Scottish Government is delighted to be able to support Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to deliver their Glasgow Outreach Service. I hope it will be successful in reducing the health inequalities which exist when it comes to screening uptake rates.”
The Be Cervix Savvy Roadshow is travelling across the UK over 16 weeks and Glasgow was chosen as the first city to visit due to worryingly low screening attendance in the city. Between 20th – 31st March the roadshow visited George Square, Buchanan Street, Shandwick Square and Forge Market with the team handing out information to over 4,600 people and having conversations with almost 800.
Following the success of the roadshow, the Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust Glasgow Outreach Service will enable the charity to continue to increase awareness of cervical cancer prevention in the city. A focus will be groups of women where significant health inequalities exists and attendance of cervical screening is low; this includes women from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, women from disadvantaged backgrounds and women over 50. An Outreach Coordinator will be employed for three years and will work closely with community and health organisations to provide targeted education and health interventions to empower women to be able to make informed decisions about their health. They will recruit and train 90 ‘Community champions’ over three years to deliver training and outreach to 3,600 community members.
Robert Music, Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “Glasgow has the lowest uptake of cervical screening in Scotland and this urgently needs to change. Through our Roadshow we have been able to reach thousands of women across the city increasing awareness of how cervical cancer can be prevented and addressing some of the barriers to cervical screening that exist for women in and around the city. I am absolutely delighted that the Scottish Government has agreed to fund our new Outreach Service enabling us to significantly expand our reach and work with women in their communities to further tackle this issue at a grass root level.”
Find out more about the Be Cervix Savvy Roadshow at jostrust.org.uk/BeCervixSavvy
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For more information please contact media@jostrust.org.uk or call 020 7250 8311 (out of office hours 07772 290064)