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)

My dd is 35 and a few years ago had to go to the hospital to have cells burnt away. She has had more frequent smears because of this and a couple more times she's had to go for more treatment.
She's on medication now that lowers her immune system so has to go every six month for a smear. She was told last time she was there to please please come in for them, they told her a lady had gone for her smear way too late and they couldn't do anything for her.
I'm so glad of the screening even if not for my sake but my dd.

I think everyone should have the choice though without being castigated over it. The idea of withholding treatment as some sort of threat or punishment is just rotten, and the people saying that let's just hope you never have an accident or end up with a medical condition that could have been avoided if you'd made better choices.

Ok convince me why I should have a smear test.
HPV negative. Monogamous relationship (ongoing) for 25 years.
Last 2 smear tests been horrendously painful as they couldn’t locate my cervix properly, and with one I bled for 3 days.
I’m am educated woman. I consider my risk to be extremely low.
My body. My choice.

I looked more into this as was interested and learnt that nurses should be offering choice and education on it but should no way be pressurising or forcing any woman to have it done. This is in no way my experience. Everytime I have gone in or phoned for another reason, I have been told I am due a smear or that I MUST book in for one. I'm actually going to be more assertive now and remind them that it is my informed choice and that I don't want to keep being asked.

Oh people love to over dramatise. It was like this during COVID. ,"AIBU to go ok two walks?" "Only if u want to end up on a ventilator!"

Yes, a lot of them overestimated their own intelligence and understanding to an amusing extent as well. There are parallels.

You can sign an informed dissent with your GP so you don’t get reminders.

I’m on the fence atm, I know I don’t have HPV and I know now that samples are only screened for HPV and then tested further if positive. I don’t see the point in a test when I know I won’t have HPV.

Many women who have informed their GP, and have written to the official address, still get reminders. It took me changing GP (I moved, so it wasn’t a change because of this) for them to actually pay attention. It’s very much down to the individual people and surgery dealing with you. Some truly are hell bent on it.

it’s not just smears though. I had similar issues with contraception. I wanted to have the implant removed from my arm and go on the pill, as a temporary measure before my partner had a vasectomy. I was lectured, for a very long time, about why I should have the coil instead, despite me saying I had considered all the options and the coil was one I definitely did not want. I was not outright told no on my choice (and there were no medical grounds why I shouldn’t have had the pill) but I was given a spiel over and over again, and the doctor, despite my asking multiple times, refused to remove my implant (which was what the appointment was for) in favour of repeating himself about the coil. It wasn’t until I lost my patience and angrily asked him what his bonus was for getting me to agree to the coil, that he shut up. It was very evident that was what he was doing, and only then did he realise he had crossed a line. He then removed my implant, in silence, and gave me the prescription.

I am a little stunned that many women feel all doctors are benign and are willing to listen to their health concerns or choices.

Oh come on! OP could have googled the answer to her question but instead chose to poke the vipers nest. She got what she wanted, which wasn't a simple answer to a mundane question.

Oh come on! OP could have googled the answer to her question but instead chose to poke the vipers nest. She got what she wanted, which wasn't a simple answer to a mundane question.

Well no, she posted on AIBU and got a lively discussion. Is that not allowed? Surely you don't want to silence women?

No but let's not pretend that OP didn't want a lively discussion. She went about it in a very annoying way, in the guise of a stupid question.

No but let's not pretend that OP didn't want a lively discussion. She went about it in a very annoying way, in the guise of a stupid question.

Who's pretending? It's AIBU. She asked if she was unreasonable to decline the invitation. People have answered.

I strongly disagree. Universal healthcare is a human right, not a reward for good behaviour. The whole point of the NHS is that it must be available to all who need it, rich or poor, saint or serial killer.

And where does this end? Should people who drink too much or smoke; eat an unhealthy diet; have too many sexual partners; take part in dangerous sports; live in a polluted area (often due to low income); don't heat their homes enough (often due to low income plus rising energy costs); etc.; etc. also have to waive their rights to free access to the NHS?

Answered sooo many times on here. THERE IS NO BONUS FOR INSERTING A COIL.
There is a coil fitting fee which barely covers the cost. Same as an implant removal fee.
But it's been an eye opener for me. Next time we are planning services, trying to employ /train/fit in coil services, i will remember all these poisonous comments and just not bother. We don't have to supply it, its an optional service.

What a sane and reasonable response to women talking about their negative experiences with other medical professionals.

Answered sooo many times on here. THERE IS NO BONUS FOR INSERTING A COIL.
There is a coil fitting fee which barely covers the cost. Same as an implant removal fee.
But it's been an eye opener for me. Next time we are planning services, trying to employ /train/fit in coil services, i will remember all these poisonous comments and just not bother. We don't have to supply it, its an optional service.

Gosh, how incredibly unprofessional of you.

I fucking hate reading stupid comments from stupidly insensitive people.

Someone told me that I was stupid for not having a smear when I got the reminder to book.

I was raped as a teen, I have been sexually assaulted on 2 seperate occasions as an adult, and I find the smear procedure so fucking traumatising that I have put it off this time. Not to mention that when I DO have it, I have to have it done at the hospital because of the pain.

Don't fucking call me stupid for looking out for my own mental well-being.

Have you spoken to your GP about this?
I understand where you are coming from. I was a victim of a series of violent and prolonged rapes by my ex and I didn’t go for a smear for many years. My GP was able to make arrangements for me to have a mild sedative before my smear.

@Teacupsandtoast, and anyone else who wants to opt out of receiving invitations from the cervical screening programme (perhaps, given that they don’t actually screen for anything unless you test positive for HPV, they should call it the HPV screening service) all you need to do is complete the simple form found on this link then it will remove you from the list

www.csas.nhs.uk/support/pc-cs-007-002-cease-informed-consent-v3

Appears to be England only - is that right?

I would presume so as NHS is devolved to the 4 nations but each should have an equivalent screening programme administrative body who should deal with requests to opt out

Also worth writing to your GP too.

Yes - my GP couldn't opt me out themselves (they were a bit perplexed by this!), but it's on my notes and they haven't bothered me about it since.

It was a few years ago now, but sadly the actual opt out form for Cervical Screening Wales may as well have been in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard.”.

Hopefully it's improved now.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/114086.stm
Interesting BBC article about direct financial incentives for GPs to push women to have smear tests and criticism of bullying and misinformation by GPs

This article is from 1998, so probably pretty out of date now.

It would be interesting to know if things have changed since the BBC article was published