COVID-19 lockdowns have led to a sharp decline in cervical cancer screening test numbers, prompting calls for women to consider self-collection screenings.
Not-for-profit health organisation VCS Foundation is urging eligible women in Melbourne’s west to consider using its Home-Based HPV Self-Collection (HBSC) kits to help ensure any signs of cervical cancer are picked up early.
The initiative is designed to assist patients to screen safely at home following a telehealth appointment and receipt of a pathology request form from their healthcare practitioner.
To be eligible for self-collection, the patient must be aged 30 years or older and overdue for a cervical screening test by two years or longer.
VCS executive director Professor Marion Saville said VCS Pathology, which processes around half of all cervical screening tests in Victoria, has experienced a dramatic decrease in tests.
“We are offering a process that’s embedded in primary care, it has to be requested after a telehealth consult with your GP who has to determine that you are eligible for self-collection,” she said.
“We’ve done a number of clinical trials of self-collection through the mail and the vast majority of people found it straightforward to do.”
Professor Saville said early detection of all cancers is an important factor for treatment and outcomes.
She is encouraging GPs to consider reviewing their patient database to identify unscreened and underscreened patients, then reach out to discuss cervical screening and offer HPV self-collection as an option.
People are encouraged to ask their GP about their eligibility for the program.
