CervicalCheck is the HSE’s national cervical screening programme. It’s free and it’s one of 4 screening programmes run by the National Screening Service.
#1 CervicalCheck is for women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 65.
It’s for people who have no symptoms of cervical cancer.
If you’re aged 25 to 29, we’ll invite you for cervical screening every 3 years. If you’re aged 30 to 65 we’ll invite you every 5 years.
#2 We need your correct address to invite you for cervical screening.
If you’re eligible for cervical screening and you find you’re not already on the CervicalCheck register, you can self-register online. Once you’re on the register, we rely on you to keep your address and contact details up to date.
If the register says your cervical screening is due, and you have not received an invitation letter from us, it may be that your address details are not up to date.
It’s important that we send your invitation and results letters to the right place. Here’s our address: www.hse.ie/cervicalcheck. What’s yours?
*If your screening is due, you can still book your free cervical screening test without an invitation letter.
#3 You can book your free cervical screening with any GP or practice nurse registered with CervicalCheck.
You can choose where you want your screening test to be done. There are over 4,000 GPs and practice nurses registered with CervicalCheck across Ireland to deliver cervical screening services. If you live or work away from your GP practice, this gives you the flexibility you need to book your cervical screening when it’s due.
Book an appointment with any of them. It does not have to be with your own GP and it will still be free of charge.
#4 Your cervical screening test takes about 5 minutes.
Your appointment should take about 15 minutes and the test takes about 5 minutes.
The GP or general practice nurse should give you information about cervical screening. You’ll be asked if you understand the information, and to sign to give your consent.
You’ll undress from the waist down, lay on a bed, and the GP or nurse will take a sample of cells from your cervix. This sample is sent to one of our laboratories for testing.
#5 Cervical screening is a test for HPV – the human papillomavirus.
This is the virus that causes most cervical cancers – over 90% of cases.
Cervical screening is a test for HPV first. If HPV is found, the same sample taken at your screening is checked for changes to the cells in your cervix – abnormal cells. These changes can lead to cancer developing over time if not found and treated.
Cervical screening aims to find these changes at an early stage, before you have any symptoms, so that you can be referred for treatment at the earliest opportunity. Removing these abnormal cells is the best way to prevent and reduce the risk of cervical cancer developing.
#6 You’ll get your results by post within 4 weeks of your cervical screening test.
We’ll send your results to you in a letter, by post. Do we have your correct address? Check that we have your up-to-date address on the CervicalCheck register. Your GP will also receive a copy of your results.
Most people get a normal result – no HPV found. If HPV is not found, we’ll invite you for screening again when it’s due. If you need further tests or treatment, we’ll let you know and give you all the information you need.
Take a look at this explanation of what your results letter might say and what it means.
#7 Screening is a choice.
It’s your choice if you want to go for cervical screening. Cervical screening can prevent cervical cancer and reduce the chance of cancer developing. Regular cervical screening can save lives. These are the benefits.
There are also limits to what screening can do. Screening won’t prevent all cases of cervical cancer and some people will still develop cervical cancer even if they go for regular screening.
Find out more about the benefits and limitations of cervical screening, make a positive health choice and #ChooseScreening.
- Cervical cancer patient advocate Kim Hanly has spent over a decade supporting women diagnosed with cervical cancer. Read Kim’s story and why she wants women to choose screening.
Did you know? We’re on track to eliminate cervical cancer in Ireland. We have everything we need to prevent this cancer: a vaccine against HPV – the cause of most cervical cancers; free cervical screening that tests for HPV; and access to treatment for those who need it.
The best way to prevent or reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer is to:
- get the HPV vaccine, if you’re eligible
- attend for your HPV cervical screening every time you’re invited
- attend for follow-up tests and treatment if you’re advised to do so
- know the symptoms of cervical cancer and if you have symptoms, get checked as early as possible with your GP.