Tea and hugs,
I made an informed decision to decline cervical screening about 30 years ago and more recently also, declined breast screening. It annoyed me I had to do my own research to get to real information. I found the official "information" was misleading and incomplete. Women have always been told they "must" or "should" screen, which is not ethical cancer screening.
We don't have a call and recall system here in Australia, so I shopped around and found a respectful GP who accepted my decision and marked my file. No need to opt out...or fill out forms.
I didn't want to go over the same thing at every consult, taking up valuable consult time. I don't get letters, phone calls etc...
I know many women here and overseas who avoid doctors altogether thanks to the pressure to have pap tests, not good for their health. Far more likely risks to their health are being neglected...a rare cancer is now the main focus in women's healthcare. (and it was always rare, by the way)
The UK has a call and recall system which means women get letters and more letters and even after opting out, more letters after 4-5 years. If that happened here (and it's being considered) I'd refer the matter to my solicitor, it's harassment when you've made clear you're not interested. Our GPs receive target payments from the Govt, the target was raised to 75% of eligible patients recently as our screening rate fell to the lowest level in a decade. IMO, this is because more women are working out they're being seriously over-screened which does nothing more than send over-treatment rates through the roof. Our doctors don't mention target payments to women, a potential conflict of interest. Our lifetime risk of referral for colposcopy and some sort of biopsy is 77% thanks to serious over-screening.
Damage to the cervix can lead to infertility, miscarriages, premature babies, c-sections, cervical cerclage etc
The lifetime risk of cervix cancer is 0.65%, less than 1%...
The UK also has target payments, but I understand it was changed and no longer relies on screening a certain % of women. There is no doubt IMO, that target payments ramp up pressure to screen.
Just be careful with your doctor and the surgery...
I contacted the NHS cervical screening program after an online friend was told by her GP that she'd have to attend a counseling session at the surgery before she could opt out. This is NOT a requirement and IMO, it's unethical, a try-on...these sessions do not cover the risks with screening, the rareness of the cancer or how few benefit...IMO, it's an attempt to scare and intimidate. The UK program sent me a response that said it all, "it's not a requirement, it sounds like an over-zealous doctor".
I'd call the NHS program and find out what needs to be done to take yourself off the register.
Anyone interested in cervical or breast cancer screening should do their own research and look at evidence based programs. The UK is lucky to have some amazing advocates for informed consent in women's cancer screening, we have one doctor in this entire country...she was brave enough to warn women about over-diagnosis in breast screening and uncertainty of benefit.
It's easy with mammograms, go to the Nordic Cochrane Institute website and read, "The risks and benefits of mammograms" and with cervical screening...well, the Finns have the lowest rates of this rare cancer in the world and just as importantly, refer the fewest women, they offer 7 pap tests, 5 yearly from 30 to 60. The Dutch have the same program, but are moving with the evidence yet again to 5 hrHPV primary triage tests offered at ages 30,35,40,50 and 60 (or test yourself with the Delphi Screener) and ONLY the roughly 5% of women who are HPV positive and at risk will be offered a 5 yearly pap test. This will greatly reduce pap testing, over-treatment and is more likely to save lives by identifying the small number actually at risk. (with a small chance of benefiting from a pap test)
Aussie women are still being horribly over-screened and over-treated, every day they receive bad medical advice...no woman needs an absurd 26 (or even more) pap tests, it just keeps day procedure busy and destroys the health (emotional and physical) and lives of huge numbers of women. It's been hard to watch the damage and distress caused by this program over the decades, especially when most of this damage was avoidable with screening in ethical and responsible hands. We've also missed too many of these cancers with our inefficient excess.
I'm not against ethical screening - where all of the information, good and bad, is released and women are free to reject or accept it as "they" see fit. (as we see in prostate screening) Words like "must' and "should" only seem to feature in women's cancer screening.
Ever noticed there is little pressure to have bowel screening, yet that cancer is far more common than cervical cancer.
HPV Today, Edition 24, sets out the new Dutch program - registration is required, but free.
The Nordic Cochrane Institute website is a great source of real information, especially on breast screening.