At a Glance

• NHS England is introducing at-home HPV self-testing for some people aged 30 to 65.
• Eligible people will collect their own sample at home and send it to the NHS for testing.
• Around four million invitations will be sent during the initial phase of the rollout across England.
• People who test positive for high-risk HPV will still need an in-person cervical screening test.

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NHS England is introducing HPV self-testing at home as a new option aimed at helping more people take part in cervical screening.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• Expanding Screening Access: “HPV self-testing is one way to reduce those barriers and help more people take part in a way that works for them.” — Cancer Research UK.
• Potential Impact: Research funded by Cancer Research UK found that offering HPV self-testing to people overdue for screening could help “over 400,000 more people in England” take part each year. — Cancer Research UK.
• Screening Remains Important: “Cervical screening saves thousands of lives every year by preventing cervical cancer or finding it at an earlier stage, when treatment is more likely to be successful.” — Cancer Research UK.

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The new option will initially be offered to some people aged 30 to 65 who have not taken up cervical screening after receiving an invitation. The rollout will be gradual, with around four million invitations planned during the initial phase.

Eligible people will receive an invitation through the NHS app, text message, email, or post. The invitation will explain how to order a free self-testing kit, which will be delivered to their home with instructions and a video explaining how to use it.

The kit contains a swab that allows the individual to collect a sample of cells from the vagina. The sample can then be placed in a prepaid envelope and returned to the NHS free of charge.

Laboratories will test the sample for high-risk HPV, the virus responsible for nearly all cervical cancers. If no high-risk HPV is detected, no further testing is required, and the person will be invited for routine cervical screening again in five years if they remain within the eligible age range.

A positive HPV result does not mean that a person has cervical cancer. Instead, they will be asked to attend an in-person cervical screening appointment with a nurse or doctor, which may take place at a GP practice, sexual health clinic, or specialist clinic.

The follow-up appointment is necessary because the self-test checks for high-risk HPV but cannot determine whether there are abnormal cells on the cervix.

The home-testing option is intended to address some of the reasons people may not attend traditional screening. These can include embarrassment, concerns about pain, difficulty reaching a GP, and other barriers to attending an appointment.

Cancer Research UK said self-testing could also help address health inequalities affecting underserved groups, including people from more deprived backgrounds, ethnic minority groups, people with learning disabilities, and people who have experienced sexual violence.

FYI

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a very common virus and causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer. Most HPV infections are cleared naturally and do not cause symptoms or health problems, but some high-risk types can persist and cause cancer over time.

Traditional cervical screening involves a trained healthcare professional taking a small sample of cells from the cervix. The sample is first tested for high-risk HPV and, when HPV is detected, checked for abnormal cells that can be monitored or treated before they develop into cancer.

In England, cervical screening is offered to women, some trans men, and some non-binary people assigned female at birth between the ages of 25 and 64. People need to be registered with a GP to receive an invitation automatically if they are registered as female.

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