The Scottish Borders has ranked third in cervical screening uptake out of the 14 Scottish regional health boards and beating the Scottish average.
The Scottish Borders reported a 77.4% uptake compared to a 73.4% Scottish average according to Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust reported women diagnosed with Cervical Cancer hit 388 in Scotland, the highest for 18 years. It is the most common cancer in women under 35 but uptake across Scotland is lowest amongst these age brackets. The 25-29 age bracket saw a 63.1% uptake and the 30-34 age bracket saw a 69.3% uptake in Scotland.
In Scotland women aged 25-49 are invited every 3 years to attend a screening. Among women aged 25-29, 1 in 3 do not attend.
Aberdeen University research recently concluded that the launch of a school vaccine programme against the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, has significantly reduced the number of women with abnormal smear test results 20 years earlier than anticipated.
Researchers at Aberdeen University conducted research that looked at the number of women in Scotland aged 20 or 21 who were referred for a follow-up test, known as a colposcopy, because of concerns picked up during routine smear tests.
They found the number had dropped from 1,294 in 2008-09, before the vaccine was offered to the age group, to 758 in 2013-14, a reduction of 41 per cent.
Cervical Cancer is largely preventable through the cervical screening and HPV programmes.
Rachael Hamilton MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire said:
‘Firstly, let’s acknowledge the great work done in the Scottish Borders that has seen the third highest uptake in cervical screening in Scotland. This will no doubt save lives.
‘But let’s also look at the problem still at large – that is 1 in 3 of the most at risk age group are not attending their invited screening appointments in Scotland. More needs to be done to promote and encourage cervical screening.
‘The research from Aberdeen University is encouraging and more initiatives like the vaccination programme need to considered to help improve cervical screening uptake in the Borders and across Scotland.