NUMBERS of women attending cervical screenings in the south are among the lowest in the country.

As part of national Cervical Screening Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday, June 18, NHS England are urging residents not to let embarrassment prevent them from being tested.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 35 but is largely preventable thanks to cervical screening and the HPV vaccination programme.

But statistics show that the number of women aged between 25 and 29 is the lowest in any age group to attend screenings, with numbers falling year on year.

In the south, less than 70 per cent of young women took up the opportunity to get tested when invited which means despite being eligible, thousands are missing tests.

Nigel Acheson, NHS England south region medical director, said: “There has been a fall in attendance of women across all age groups over the past few years but this decline is most marked amongst younger women.

“Making time to take up your screening appointment is the single most important active step you can take to avoid developing cancer.”

Surveys undertaken by cancer charities indicate embarrassment and a lack of understanding of the causes of cervical cancer may be behind the fall in numbers attending.

Whilst the number of women dying from the disease has halved over the past 28 years because of the NHS screening programme, 5,000 women in the UK are still diagnosed each year.

Every day nine women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer and three women will lose their lives to the disease.

Local GP and assistant clinical chair at Dorset CCG Dr Karen Kirkham, says: “The test is very simple, only takes about five minutes, and is usually performed by an experienced practice nurse at your GP surgery. 95 per cent of results are normal, and the vast majority of those that aren’t can be treated very easily, and will never develop into cancer. Being screened regularly means that any abnormal cells of the cervix can be identified at an early stage and, if necessary, treated to stop cancer developing. It’s a preventative measure that could save your life.

“If you’ve received a letter from your GP surgery inviting you to attend a screening, please make sure you make an appointment and take this step to help prevent cancer.”