What’s pants but could save your life?

Primary Care Trusts across the West Midlands are due to launch the second year of the successful cervical screening awareness campaign.  From April 1st, the “What’s pants, but could save your life?” campaign will urge all women between 25 and 64 to go for cervical screening, often known as the ‘smear test’.  

The campaign continues to focus on women aged 25-29 and all women over 25 who have either never had a smear or who didn’t go for their last test.  The success of the campaign last year was largely due to the eye-catching and colourful humour and the realism of the campaign which appeals to women acknowledging that a smear test is not the most popular experience, but pointing out that one woman’s life is saved in the region every day as a result of the screening programme.

With so much recent media coverage of cervical cancer, it is important that women are aware that cervical screening is the best protection against developing cervical cancer.  Free screening is available for all women aged between 25-64, every 3 to 5 years depending on their age.  Women who are due for cervical screening will receive an invitation to arrange an appointment.  Samples are usually taken by female staff and this can be requested at the time of booking an appointment.

Some women consider having a cervical screening an embarrassing or invasive procedure.  The reality is that it is a quick and painless procedure, which could ultimately save your life.  Early detection and treatment can prevent around 75% of cancers developing.

Philippa Pearmain of the West Midlands Cervical Screening Quality Assurance Reference Centre said today ‘We have had lots of positive comments from women who saw the Pants campaign on posters and at events last year.  One woman told us “I’m very overdue for a smear and this has prompted me to make an appointment”.  Another woman in her 30s was referred for treatment after having a test for the first time and was successfully treated for early cervical cancer – she’d decided to go for cervical screening after seeing the Pants poster on a bus and this has saved her life.’

At present only 66% of women in the West Midlands aged 25-29 take advantage of cervical screening.  Philippa Pearmain explained “25-29 is the gateway age group.  Women who start having the test at that age are likely to carry on having it at the right intervals.  The Pants campaign aims to target this age group as well as remind women of all ages to attend screening appointments when they receive their invitations.”

For more information about the “What's pants and can save your life” campaign visit www.pants.nhs.uk