To ask if metal speculums are still used anywhere in the NHS?

[2Terrified]

Just that really. I've always found smear tests agonisingly painful (no I don't just mean a bit uncomfortable). I'm having to go back to having it done at my local GP surgery (because my local area have removed the option of having it done at a CASH clinic which I preferred). I've had one telephone conversation with the nurse who said that they have the smallest size speculum so I am going to ask for that but I've just realised that I didn't ask if it was metal and (having had a few particularly painful experiences with metal speculums) I'm now panicking that it's going to be metal because it is a GP's surgery not somewhere that specialises in these kind of tests and would have all the latest equipment.

Can anyone advise me - or let me know what they had if you went for the test at your GPs?

The test is coming up this week and I don't think I will be able to speak to the nurse again before the test date . Everyone on social media seems to be sharing these posts about how smear tests are just a breeze and only stupid or vain women would put them off and it's just constantly reminding me about it and making me feel more and more panicked and upset and that I'm the only person who has this experience.

They shouldn’t be using metal they should be using plastic individually wrapped plastic speculums

It will be plastic, had all my smears at drs and I’ve had the smaller speculum and it was plastic.

Mine was with a nurse at a GP surgery last month and was a clear plastic.

I think clear single use plastic ones are used everywhere now.

Metal ones require sterilisation which creates a whole load of work for staff.

Had my last one at the GP using the smallest speculum and it was plastic

It will be an individually wrapped plastic speculum. Good for you for going even though it sucks.

Plastic at my GP’s too, has been for years.
I have awful smears too, tilted cervix that is hard to find. I cried in the last one, but I still go religiously.

All disposable plastic ones now.If you have had a bad experience it makes it harder because you are tense before it starts.
Talk to the nurse,Tel her your previous experiences and that it hurt.She will do her best to help you relax.GP surgeries have a lot of experience in this area as this is where most smears are done.
I suppose the point that s that cervical cancer left undetected is going to cause much more pain than a smear.
You will be okay and over for a few years.
You are also not alone feeling like this.

I had metal a few years ago at a sexual health clinic in the north east, have they been completely phased out since?

Every smear I’ve ever had has been a disposable plastic one-use individually wrapped speculum, they are standard for smears.

Single use plastic?

The last time I had a metal one used was back in the early 2000s.
My gp surgery have used plastic ones for years.
Since I’ve had dc the nurse has had to use the child size on me, i had a lot of stitches after having dc1 and the scar tissue hurts if it’s stretched too much. She couldn’t be more gentle with me and she takes it slowly to avoid hurting me.

bsc I'll admit that's what I was thinking too.

I'm old enough to remember the surgical steel medical instruments that required sterilising in autoclaves.

I'd be interested to see a comparison on the environmental impact of the two different options.

Bsc the nhs is full of single use plastic, from tourniquets for blood tests to every syringe and every drape

We do have metal speculums in my trust but not for smears

It’s for infection control. Everything is single use. It is incinerated as medical waste if put into the correct disposal for the correct equipment but can also be cleaned and used otherwise

See this link resource.co/article/whats-prognosis-clinical-waste-management-nhs-12292

This helps in part stop spread of needless infections and bacteria that could need antibiotics etc. Auto claving speculums is a thing of the past as many NHS trusts were simply not good enough at the sterilisation and it cannot be a trusted method anymore

Specula, no?

Unless they have access to appropriate sterilisation facilities GP practices use single use speculums. I visit practices as part of my job and have never seen a metal one in use. I'd be very surprised if see any

There was a GP on TV the other day sayingb they don't use them anymore and it's one of the main reasons the appointment is missed!

They use a plastic one which, is obviously still uncomfortable but not as much.

I had a metal one, but only because I am tall and apparently my cervix is a long way away and the first two plastic ones she tried weren’t long enough

The metal one felt a little heavier but she warmed it under the tap first (!) and was very gentle and it was no different really to the first one.

I hope you get sorted with minimal bother

Every time I've had a mirena inserted, they start with a plastic single-use one, discover it's not long enough, then resort to the metal one.

For some reason, the plastic one seems to work fine for smear tests though.

Does incinerated waste get burned at hospitals, or taken elsewhere? Does electricity get generated from it?

I also found it very painful. To make it worse the nurse made me bleed during my last one and it contaminated the test so I had to go back for another one 😭 I told her I was really nervous too.

Usually taken away but depends on the hospital size and capabilities
Not all of it is incinerated

I also find them very painful and told my Gp this last time. She used some sort of numbing gel and it did actually feel better, so I’m less anxious now about going for the next one. Maybe ask if they can use the numbing gel if possible. GL