Feedback from seldom heard groups on the final GP cervical screening invitation letter
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From 2020, women approaching their twenty fifth birthday will be sent a written letter from the National Screening Programme inviting them to attend cervical HPV screening. If the person does not attend after the first letter is sent, a reminder letter will follow. If there is still no take up of the test, a third letter for this screening round will be sent directly from their GP practice.
Healthwatch Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton was asked to engage with women to find out how the last GP letter should be written and what it should include. As a guide, the Screening and Immunisation team at NHS England and NHS Improvement -South East Region (Hampshire, Isle of Wight), said the letter needs to contain the following:
- Details of or reference to HPV
- Where to go for more info
- What to do if the woman currently has symptoms
- Details of how to book your screening
- A GP endorsement 2
A draft letter of invitation from GP for Cervical HPV Screening can be seen in Appendix 1.