We’re inviting some women to come for cervical screening a few months before their due date in 2025.
Why we are doing this
Our data modelling for the next two years shows that a larger-than-usual number of women will be due their cervical screening in late 2025 and throughout 2026.
This increase is specifically due to:
- the pause in screening between March and July in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic – this means that a larger number of women on a five-year recall are due to be invited for cervical screening from July to December 2025, and from January to June 2026
- the change to HPV cervical screening in March 2020 – this better test meant we could extend the interval between cervical screening tests to five years for all women aged 30 to 65; HPV screening also means an increase in the numbers of women referred to colposcopy.
What we are doing
We are balancing the timing of our invitations to cervical screening this year. In February 2025 we will send cervical screening invitations to 25,000 women who are due to be invited in August and September 2025.
This is to make sure that women can get their test, results and any follow-up tests or treatment needed, in a timely manner.
What our data tells us
We have lots of data available to us that helps us to improve our annual estimates – the number of women we need to invite for screening. We use this data to predict invite numbers and attendance rates more accurately. These projections are important in planning CervicalCheck programme activity including:
- when women will need access to GPs and clinics (sample takers)
- laboratory testing turnaround times
- getting results back to women
- how many onward referrals to colposcopy clinics will need to be planned for.
We know from our data when women are likely to book and attend for cervical screening after they get an invitation letter. From this, we can estimate the number of referrals to colposcopy and when these are likely to happen, because we know that about 8% to 9% of women who attend for cervical screening are referred to colposcopy. We aim to see every woman referred to colposcopy within eight weeks of the referral.
What we are doing to support and reassure women
- We will let women know in their invitation letter why we are offering them cervical screening a few months before their due date and how it will benefit women who may need follow-up tests or treatment.
- Women who receive this invite letter will be marked as eligible for their cervical screening on our register. This means that women can be reassured they can book their cervical screening with any GP or clinic registered with CervicalCheck as soon as they get their letter.
- We have sent letters to all GPs registered with CervicalCheck to explain this initiative and have asked them to support these women who may have questions and who want to book their screening now.
- We’re here to help. Women who have questions can contact us by email info@cervicalcheck.ie or Freephone 1800 45 45 55.
Next steps
We will monitor the success of this initiative and the impact it has on the full screening pathway. We may continue it for more women in 2025 and into 2026.
Cervical cancer elimination
Cervical cancer is preventable, and it can be cured if found and treated early. HPV cervical screening is one of the best ways to help prevent cervical cancer because we know that HPV causes most cervical cancers. By attending screening when invited, and going for treatment when needed, women are supporting Ireland’s vision to make cervical cancer rare.