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Cervical Screening news

From September 2025, the NHS will start sending results from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme directly to patients through the NHS App.

What this means for you:

  • If your cervical screening result is negative (normal), you will receive a secure message in your NHS App.
  • You will also see an NHS App notification.
  • If you don’t read the NHS App message within 72 hours, a letter will then be posted to you as a backup.
  • If your result is abnormal, you will continue to receive a letter by post for the time being.

Why the change?

This follows the successful rollout of digital invitations and reminders in June 2025, where 9 out of 10 patients received their invitations digitally through the NHS App. Moving results into the App helps provide:

  • Faster access to your results.
  • Reduced reliance on post.
  • Secure digital storage of your results in one place.

What you need to do:

Important notes:

  • If you provide an alternative postal address, your result will still be sent via the NHS App first. If it isn’t read, only then will a letter be sent to your postal address.
  • Once your result has been sent through the system, laboratories will not be able to prevent its delivery via the NHS App.

Changes to Cervical Screening for Ages 25–49: What You Need to Know

What’s Changing?

From 1 July 2025, the routine cervical screening interval will change from every 3 years to every 5 years for women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 49 who test negative for high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (hrHPV) at their screening appointment.

This change only applies to those who attend a cervical screening on or after 1 July 2025 and test negative for hrHPV.

Why Is This Change Happening?

Cervical screening in England now uses a more advanced test called HPV primary screening, which was fully introduced in 2019. This test checks for high-risk types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer. It is:

  • More accurate and sensitive than the previous “smear” test
  • Better at identifying people at risk earlier
  • Proven to keep you safe for longer if your result is negative

Because of this, it’s now safe to extend the time between tests to 5 years, as long as no hrHPV is found.

Is It Safe to Wait 5 Years?

Yes. Extensive research shows that people who test negative for hrHPV are extremely unlikely to develop cervical cancer within the next 10 years. A large study in England, led by King’s College London, confirmed that screening every 5 years after a negative hrHPV test is just as safe as screening every 3 years.

This means you get the same level of protection with fewer appointments.

Who Made This Decision?

The change follows a recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) after reviewing strong scientific evidence. The Department of Health and Social Care has approved this recommendation.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you’re aged 25–49:

  • You’ll still be invited for cervical screening as usual.
  • If you test negative for hrHPV, your next screening will be in 5 years.
  • If you test positive, you’ll be offered follow-up tests or treatment as needed.

If you’re aged 50–64, nothing changes — you’ll continue to be invited every 5 years.

Why Screening Matters

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme saves thousands of lives each year. It helps prevent cervical cancer by:

  • Detecting hrHPV early
  • Monitoring people at higher risk
  • Treating cell changes before they become cancer

Questions or Concerns?

If you’re unsure about what this change means for you or have questions about your screening history or results, please speak to your nurse.