NHS Cervical Screening leaflet

[JolyonsChickensAreBigots]

Just received a letter suggesting I book a cervical screen and the leaflet entitled 'NHS cervical screening Helping you decide' is one of the most confusing things I've read. The only time the word 'woman' appears to be mentioned is with the word 'trans' in front.

To avoid saying the words 'woman' or 'women' they go all around the houses trying to explain who needs screening whilst only using the word 'people' so it is needlessly convoluted and I gave up.

They don't fucking care about women who have limited English or those with learning difficulties do they?

Public Health England and NHS increased deaths from cervical cancer are on your hands

You are looking for problems where they don't exist.

If you don't understand it or are confused then speak to your GP.

It makes it clear in the leaflet that you can deal with female staff so if that worries you then ask for a female nurse or GP.

Meanwhile if you think this leaflet adds fuel to your campaign then you are grasping at straws.

Why isn't the word woman in the leaflet @reginafelangee? The advertising campaign about getting your prostate checked prioritises the word men, as they are the only people with a prostate.

Women are the only people with cervices. Why isn't this made clear in the leaflet?

This leaflet is prioritising men's feelings over women's health and wellbeing and it's a dereliction of duty

Meanwhile if you think this leaflet adds fuel to your campaign then you are grasping at straws.

You're kidding, right? The leaflet expressly says it's not sending out smear test reminders to a whole bunch of women who identify as men. But it will to whole a bunch of men who identify as women.

It also says you can ask for a woman HCP. Which, again, expressly means it might be a man.

It's meaningless claptrap and is directly responsible for placing women at risk.

Found an earlier version from 2011:

<a class="break-all" href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20150506220000/www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk//cervical/publications/the-facts-large-print.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20150506220000/www.cancerscreening.nhs.ukcervical/publications/the-facts-large-print.html

No mention of trans, the word 'women' appears where you might expect it to appear.... How times have changed.

reginafelangee ‘If you don't understand it or are confused then speak to your GP.’

Yep - because GPs have soo much time available to clear up pointless and dangerous confusions in NHS literature

Yep - if you don’t know if having a cervix is relevant to you and you can’t second guess NHS literature - you will actively spend ages trying to secure a non-existent GP appointment just to clarify something that you don’t know is relevant to you.

Yep - because smear testing rates are so woeful already that not making it explicit who their target audience is such a good way of improving rates and saving lives

Yep - nice one - that’ll sort it out.

In other NHS literature they make it clear and unambiguous who their target patient population is - because it is lifesaving. Doesn’t cause a problem there.

The word ‘women’. Just a five letter word. Easy.

I understood that screening literature had been looked at and written by Kings Colllege (might just have been the letters). Since then, there was public lobbying over whether to include "or not" in the letter that says "It is your choice whether to have a cervical screening test or not"

I wonder if it is possible to follow the path of how these leaflets were constructed?

Not expecting answers to any of those questions..

...Clymene.

Fuel to campaign.

What campaign

Only women have cervix’s

What’s wrong with using the word women.

When did the word women become a dirty word ?

This is a national health service not a validating servicev

I spoke to a GP once who said she thought it's only a matter of time before trans women start coming into the surgery to demand smear tests.

Hardly the best representative but hasn't JY argued that being seen by a gynaecologist counts as affirmative care?

It would be interesting if, over time, there are sex-specific healthcare practices that are broadened out because they are classed as "affirmative care."

However, as a separate issue, I think healthcare literacy is a substantial enough problem that we don't need to be baffling people with unclear language.

This word salad nonsense has thankfully not reached NHS Tayside.
I saw a copy of the standard screening request letter yesterday, and it refers to “women” throughout.
Absolutely clear, well written, in plain English. Addressed to the only patients who need a smear test - women. How those patients may “identify” is irrelevant to the need for the procedure.

I'm pleased to see that NHS Wales still talks about women.

www.cervicalscreeningwales.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/documents/1032/cervical%20screening%20booklet%20low.pdf

Hi
Can I suggest feedback regarding the choice of wording in the screening leaflet is emailed to [email protected]
or you can phone Helpdesk phone number on 020 3682 0890.
The blog article here describes the organisations that were involved in writing the new leaflets.

Thank you Bela. So from your link:

We were pleased to work alongside Macmillan Cancer Support's's_ lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) programme coordinator to tailor the resources and adopt a more inclusive approach to meet the needs of our screening population.^

But it will to whole a bunch of men who identify as women

Just the ticket- so very validating for them! Which is after all what matters. Not cervixes which may or may not be cancerous, but the feelings of men.

If you have a cervix, you need a cervical smear test.

How exactly is that a 'dog's dinner of confusion'?

I can think of worse things in the world to be upset over.

Since then, there was public lobbying over whether to include "or not" in the letter that says "It is your choice whether to have a cervical screening test or not"

I don't understand why the words "or not" were added. The sentence makes perfect sense without them.They add nothing other than a hint of a veiled threat that it wasn't a choice. I don't take this test - that is my decision and always has been. I don't need permission or approval not to take it.

On the issue of this leaflet the omission of the word "woman" is stupid and irritating but I really don't think the leaflet isn't clear who this test is for. It is headed up by a photograph of a group of women of all ages; it refers to vagina, periods, pregnancy.

Complain about the omission of the word "women" but I think it's a hiding to nothing complaining that it's not clear who the test is for.

If you have a cervix, you need a cervical smear test.

Because not everyone who has a cervix, knows what a cervix is or that they have one. But they know they are female.

"If you are a trans woman you don’t need cervical screening." I think that could be confusing. Trans women might be left wondering why they don't need cervical screening and they might be worried about their personal risk of cervical cancer

I cannot see how a trans woman could possibly be confused and wonder why they are not at risk of a cancer that can only affect a biological female. I would imagine that any trans person would be very clear about the function and capabilities of their body.

Perhaps a little pointer in the direction of a leaflet for prostate cancer checks?

I apologise if I am coming across as naive, or indeed offending trans people (not my intention) but surely if you are trans then you are bodily aware, and can recognise that even though your gender changes, biologically speaking your sex does not.

If I was reading that and I didn't know what a cervix was I might think the leaflet was just for trans people from the first few paragraphs. My honest impression. Because it says the screening is offered "every three years from 25 to 49" etc but doesn't say who it is offered to. Why couldn't they say "women and some trans men"?

Because as always, it's about not acknowledging that MTF trans people's bodies aren't female.

It makes it clear in the leaflet that you can deal with female staff so if that worries you then ask for a female nurse or GP.

Since they don’t actually seem to know what a woman is, how can we trust them to let us deal with an actual woman?

You need a certain level of English literacy and knowledge to know what a cervix is and who has them. Not all women have this. There's more scope for those women to be confused by the content of this leaflet.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/smear-tests-cervical-cancer-prevention-week-symptoms-a9296581.html

Title ‘I JUST IGNORED THE PILE OF LETTERS’: AS CERVICAL CANCER RATES RISE WHY ARE WOMEN AVOIDING SMEAR TESTS?
Independent

Might have something to do with not mentioning the word ‘women’??

Text in article:
‘’Although cervical cancer can affect anyone with a cervix the term 'women' will be used here for brevity.‘’

brevity try accuracy.

They use the word women (apologetically). Is this progress or should I give up..?