to decline cervical screening offer?

[Teacupsandtoast]

Just that really.

Is there a simple process for opting out or is there hoop jumping required? (Which often seems to be the case when it comes to withdrawing consent for anything)

Jade Goody was screened

She was and ignored the results saying there were abnormal smears. Which is why it had time to spread and kill her.

Please just get it done. It’s one of very very few (is there 2 for women?) cancer screenings we get.

It’s a screening test for hpv now. If you’re happy that you don’t have it and spent develop it then the screening is unnecessary. Only you know your own risks.

GP Dr Margaret McCartney is one of many medically trained women who opt out of cervical screening. Is she stupid?

Or does she maybe understand medical risk a bit better than randoms on Mumsnet?

You can opt out, OP. They'll ignore it but then you just carry on ignoring them.

Barbaric and invasive 😱 I don't see it as that experience! Having a midwife break your waters or check how many centimetres dilated you are is more invasive.

If it saves your life then it's absolutely worth it.

I have no regrets in declining smears for years. The more I think about it, the more sensible a decision it is: Screening only feels useful when they find a problem or you know you're at risk; otherwise it's unpleasant & pointless intrusion. So, yes, Some of us feel fine about this decision. Just tell GP you're declining for now. Is all I had to do.

So many twats on here who know nothing about the op and her situation calling her stupid because she doesn't want to consent to something being done to her own body.

I'm sick of hearing 'it's a few minutes of being uncomfortable'. Lucky you if that's all it is but for some of us it fucking painful. At my last NHS smear I was crying because it hurt so much and the nurse just carried on. I made up my mind there and then I wasn't going through that again.

Fast forward 3 years and I saw a gynaecologist privately because of pelvic pain. She asked me when my smear was due and I said round about now and explained what happened last time and she offered to do it there and then. Once again I was in a lot of pain so she took me to the colposcopy suite. What a difference, it was over before I knew she'd started. Apparently my cervix is very high and over to one side so she said it would be very difficult to do it without causing pain at a GP surgery.

Why on earth wasn't I told this before? Why did the nurse think it was appropriate to cause me that much pain when she must have known there was an issue? I'm lucky that I could go private but it shouldn't be a case of it's pain free only if you can go private.

Sorry this has turned into a rant but it makes me so angry that women are just expected to put up and shut up as it's for their own good.

Trying to think of any scenario where you have to jump throw hoops to “withdraw consent”? (Which btw implies you’ve already given it once and then changed your mind, as opposed to not offering it in the first place.)

Genuine question - I've never had one. I was told they screened for HPV now and because I'd been vaccinated in school that if I did go, they'd only be checking for HPV and if that comes back negative then they don't do further tests? Was I miss informed?

I get it OP, I hate them too. As soon as they changed to checking for HPV first and only checking for abnormal cells if HPV was positive, I started doing a private HPV screen which can be done at home. If it ever does come back positive then of course I'll have to contact the GP for a full smear test.

As far as I'm aware if you test negative for hpv they don't test the cells anymore. Could you get a (private) hpv test done every few years? You can get one that you do yourself at home for less than £100. Then re-consider a smear if the hpv test comes back positive.

Tbh this is why i strongly believe it ahould be done by gymo. I don't understand why it isn't in UK. You wouldn't have gp nurse checking your teeth and repairing filling so why is this ok

That's a bit harsh!!

Declining something that can potentially save your life is just stupid!

When you've experienced a friend or family member die from cervical cancer it's a sore one and like most others on here I'll advocate it and encourage all females I know to get it done.

I'm in Scotland and lucky enough to get it much earlier than other parts of the uk!

Bloody typos

There's a form you can fill in to opt out, but you can of course just ignore the letters. They are an invitation not a summons, as I think the MN phrase goes.

Everyone has the option of deciding whether the benefits of screening outweigh the risks, and can then accept or decline the invitation.

I didn't have one until I was 43. At one point I told my GP why and I stopped getting invite letters. Then I moved GP and started to get them again so just ignored them. I think I got a reminder letter after each invite but nothing more.

Before anyone tells me I'm an idiot and incredibly stupid, the reason I didn't have one was I'd never been sexually active in any way, and when I told my GP that they were fine with me not having them. As soon as I did become sexually active I booked an appointment when I next got an invite.

I'll advocate it and encourage all females I know to get it done

Even those who've never been sexually active?

Sorry, but why is this stupid phrase always trotted out to excuse moronic self-destructiveness?

I can understand people being scared/uncomfortable about a smear but please don't paint it as some heroic act of non-conformity.

God I hate that phrase "my body, my choice".

Me neither. It doesn't help. It's part of my job to promote and offer this screening, but I don't have a problem with women declining it and I don't try to guilt trip those who do.
I will talk it through (if appropriate) and make sure there isn't anything I can do to make it easier for them, but as long as they understand their risk and the implications then I've done my job and they've made their choice. Bodily autonomy is important.

Whenever I see these threads, I always wonder what OP will do if she develops cancer. People have many reasons for finding cervical screening unmanageable, but if they develop cancer they have far far more in the way of prodding and poking down there. Do people simply ignore the symptoms until it's too late for any kind of treatment, so the examination is never done?

In case it's relevant to you OP, you can have smears under sedation or even GA if needed.

It doesn't, hence the ask.

@Thepeopleversuswork I'm not really sure that there's a response to people who think that the idea of informed consent is moronic. It's kind of the fundamental principle of medical treatment (in most countries). Medical treatment without consent is assault.

Yes, I think she’s incredibly stupid to influence non-medically trained women to opt out of a 10 minute 3/5yearly appointment.

I much rather agree with Dr. Pierre Martin-Hirsch‘s argument against Dr. McCartney.

YANBU but you are being stupid! It could save your life!!!