Would you go for a smear test at the moment?

[TattiePants]

I’ve had a smear test booked in for the last 2 months and the appointment is next week. I thought it might have been cancelled but given they haven’t contacted me I’m assuming it’s going ahead. I really can’t decide if I should cancel. On one hand smears are really important and who knows how long this will go on for so if I cancel I could end up being overdue by 6 months. On the other hand, unless the nurse attaches the speculum to the end of a broom stick, she’s going to have to get very close!

I know doctor’s surgeries are taking lots of precautions - DS had his immunisation boosters the day schools closed and they called me the day before to check we were symptom free - but I’d rather not be at a doctors surgery at the minute unless urgent. What would others do?

Following as I'm in similar situation!

I had a letter through a couple of weeks ago saying I'm due one. This was right before lockdown started so I haven't booked it yet. I'll wait until it's lifted and get it sorted then. I know it's important and I've every intention of going once things start to go back to normal.

I'm sure in Scotland they have cancelled these screening tests. Dont know if England is the same

Yes, if it was still going ahead.

Yes I would.
Taking care of regular health needs is also important

Depends on the situation realky. My local surgery has been closed a couple of weeks, they're seeing patients at the other one & only very few select ones at that.

I think if they reopened my surgery for routine things like this I would, but not if it was at the hospital or even a GO's where they're seeing many patients through regular booking.

My GP is still running them but I'll need to ring in the day it's due and see if staff are available. I'm 6 months overdue for mine and will be going at the first available opportunity.

Why not ring the surgery and ask?

I thought they had cancelled all cancer screening tests including smear tests? Have you checked your appointment is still on?

My surgery cancelled mine, citing it as non essential

No, unless I was at higher risk or experiencing symptoms then I would attend (but would call first to make sure it was going ahead).

I'm sure all screening has been cancelled?! It was a national announcement so individual surgeries likely won't feel the need to contact each patient

If you are experiencing symptoms, you don’t need a routine cervical smear. You need an appointment with a doctor.

That’s not what the screening programme is for.

@00100001 I will call them but I’m just trying to decide how comfortable I feel with going v not going. I’m sure the nurse will take every precaution possible but she is still in a higher risk category that me who’s barely left the house in 2.5 weeks.

I presume she will be wearing a mask and would have fresh gloves and things (speculum??) for each patient anyway?

I would, there will be a huge backlog afterwards if it all stoped and I've read too many scary stories about unchecked cervical cancer!

I live in another country and went for my smear the day before our lockdown happened but it was obviously coming and am relieved it's not going to be another thing to worry about doing when everything returns to normal . . .

I would still go I think... It's a potentially life saving check up and I wouldn't want to postpone indefinitely? But it's a tough decision.

Mine was cancelled via a phone call a couple of days before my appointment so if they are going to cancel yours, they may not have gotten to you yet.

Smear tests and breast screenings are postponed in Scotland at the moment but phone and check your surgery.

I wouldn’t go. I would avoid all non-essential visits to a gp surgery.

Yes, but then there has been a lot of cervical cancer in my family and I have been on regular recalls in the past due to the results I had at a few smears, so it's generally quite high up my priority list. That said, when I looked at the NHS info page on cervical smears it all seems very different from what it used to be, I'm fairly sure when I started having smears 20 years ago it wasn't a straight HPV/ no HPV test.

I attended for mine last week, nurse was gowned up, had a plastic apron, mask & gloves on, and was only close to me at the business end, maintained 2m apart whilst discussing things before & after. I will add that I have had a previous LLETZ, so am extra keen not to leave mine overdue.

Chairs were very spread out in the waiting area but compared to normal, there was no one there, so I think they are considering these essential in my area.

As others have said, there may be a backlog when this ends, so it depends on how long you are comfortable waiting after this.

Im in scotland and due one but smear tests, mammograms and bowel cancer screenings have been cancelled due to coronavirus

Just called the surgery and apparently they are still going ahead (and it’s the 20th not next week) as they are classed as essential. Mute receptionist was lovely and said they have a locked door policy so I need to ring the bell to be let in and not to be alarmed if the staff are in full PPE. They will ring me the day before to check I’m well. Still don’t know how comfortable I feel going....

I'm fairly sure when I started having smears 20 years ago it wasn't a straight HPV/ no HPV test.

Yes, this is new. Primary hpv testing (only those samples that test positive for hpv are looked at) was found to be more effective at identifying women at risk of cervical cancer in a massive trial.

What a typo! The receptionist was most definitely not mute!