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)

Just don’t make an appointment?

You're not alone, op. I've never been sexually active and don't see myself being so any time soon, and I feel the procedure would be too invasive and upsetting considering that I've (for lack of a better phrase) never had anything in that orifice. I'm 24 and growing increasingly anxious about that first letter slipping through my door.

I can understand why it's an emotionally fraught subject to other posters, but guilting someone into a procedure they don't want, even one that's beneficial, is only more likely to cause anxiety and refusal. Compassion is key. Please consider that this screening can be traumatic, invasive, and exceedingly painful to some.

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

If that's the case maybe it should be made clear rather than the bloody nurse just carrying on regardless.

Not scared. Not uncomfortable. Have had plenty of them without issue previously

I understand the idea of informed consent.

I just have become tired of seeing the phrase "my body, my choice" wheeled out to justify behaviour that is either breathtakingly stupid, self-destructive or selfish (see also vaccine refusers).

If you want to do something which you know is actively likely to harm your health crack on but please don't use phrases associated with feminism to justify this.

I keep being hounded by my clinic with phone calls and letters to have it done.
I don't want to explain why I don't want it done to them or on here but I have my reasons. Everyone has the choice to opt out and calling someone stupid or reckless doesn't help or work in changing minds.

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

Hmm.

Accepting something that can lead to over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment that can potentially cause long lasting harm is also a questionable decision.

I don't think all screening causes more harm than good, but it is nuanced, and to call people stupid is pretty, well, stupid. Why do you think cervical screening isn't offered to the under 25s?

My friend just died of breast cancer to such sadness for all her friends and family. I'm still in shock. I'd do anything to stay as long as possible with my family so I'm happy to attend for a smear, mammogram and colonoscopy.

I am contemplating doing an at home HPV test next time. If I do decide to do that I will just contact my GP to inform them and hoping that it's enough to stop the nagging letters.

Pregnancy - so many long discussions with awkward midwives who chose not to understand why I didnt give consent to certain things, despite being clearly documented by my usual lovely midwife

I thought nowadays they just screen for HPV and if you don't have it you can extend the interval? So its worth one more screen and see if you are at risk as the virus is linked to cervical cancer. Otherwise just call the practice and say you don't want it.

You don't have to see it as barbaric and invasive. If someone else does, then they do regardless.

Comparing to other procedures that survivors of assault would also find traumatising, doesn't really improve the difficulties of cervical screening.

For some women, it's a straightforward decision, but actually, it isn't automatically 'worth it' at the expense of so much suffering for others.

I didn't know this was possible and may consider it, thank you

This is a very distasteful thread.

Either opt out (Google tells you exactly how to do it) or ignore the friggin letters 🙄

YANBU.

They aren't nice, personally I wouldn't refuse the test but it's your choice.

I think it's shocking and a good representation of how Womens health is viewed globally that the speculums used to perform smears were invented in Victorian ages and have changed very little!! Despite how painful and uncomfortable they can be.

I know a couple of people who choose not to get them, they just ignore the letters.

I know 3 women personally who have had abnormal cells detected by a smear test. That's 3 women who's lives have potentially been saved by this procedure. You opt out by not making the appointment which is fairly obvious to anyone with half a brain. Why start an attention seeking thread about it?

To the people on here saying that they don't have smears, what would you do if you got cervical cancer? Would you refuse treatment?

YABU. God forbid you had something that could of been treated found early enough but you didn’t go! Please think of your family and those who love you. The test is so simple and quick and could save a lot of heartache

Seems you can do it online

www.csas.nhs.uk/contact-us/screening-cease-info/

I've tried to opt out as I shouldn't have smears anymore due to treatment for - cervical cancer.

First the hospital wrote to my GP asking them to remove me from the screening process and then I did it myself.

I still get a letter 🤦‍♀️

The letter I received said that the sample would be tested for HPV and only if this was found would they check the sample for abnormal cells.

You can get a home test kit for HPV from Superdrug. I think in some areas the NHS was trailing a home test system for screening in 2021.

If you are not going to go for a smear then doing a HPV test at home would seem like a reasonable approach.

In possession of a complete brain, thank you. Just not going to the appointment means being followed up multiple times with letters, so I just wanted to know what others had done to officially opt out

To those saying it could find abnormal cells. It has now changed (in England, no idea if elsewhere). The sample is tested for HPV. If negative the sample is NOT tested beyond that so they won't see any cell changes. If positive for HPV then it will be checked.

That is why I am thinking of doing a private test for HPV and only going through the whole smear procedure if that comes back positive.

Of course you can - all screening is optional and it is your choice. When I opted out of mammograms, they asked me to sign a form - presumably so I don't sue the NHS when I develop breast cancer 😂 But it saves time and means they don't continue to annoy me by sending me unwanted appointments. More importantly, it releases appointments for people who actually want them.