To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the of the number of (a) GP practices offering cervical screening (i) outside and (ii) for limited periods during 9 to 5 working hours, (b) sexual health clinics that have stopped offering cervical screening tests and (c) vacancies for practice nurses trained to provide cervical screening; whether he has made an assessment of the effect on (A) screening rates and (B) cervical cancer cases of changes in the number of locations where individuals can obtain a cervical smear test; and if he will make a statement.
Answered on
28 February 2019
The Department does not collect this information.
NHS England is investing in initiatives to improve access to general practice as part of the GP Five Year Forward View. This includes access to all routine appointments, including cervical screening, at evenings and/or weekends.
Local authorities are responsible for commissioning public health services in their areas, which includes commissioning of sexual health clinics.