‘Cervical cancer has affected generations of my family – NHS changes mean women like me could be missed out’

Gemma Barley’s regular three-year check-up found abnormal cells in her cervix, despite her previous screening being completely clear

A woman whose grandmother and mother both had cervical cancer has called for the reversal of recent changes lengthening the interval between screenings.

Gemma Barley, 34, had to undergo a biopsy in January 2022 after her regular three-year check-up found abnormal cells in her cervix, despite her previous screening being completely clear.

She fears that if she had been subject to new NHS England rules – which have lengthened the time between check-ups to five years – the outcome could have been worse.

“After a regular smear check-up in 2022 I got a letter to say we’ve found something abnormal in your smear and told I needed a biopsy,” the mother-of-one said.

“It was like my full life had flashed before my eyes. I thought my son was going to be left without a mum. It was horrifying.”

Cervical cancer has affected Gemma Barley’s family for generations (Supplied)

Cervical cancer has affected Ms Barley’s family for generations. She lost her grandmother to the disease aged 54, just three months after being diagnosed in 2004.

Her mother was also diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2018 and had to undergo a hysterectomy to mitigate the risks of the disease.

Ms Barley waited four weeks for her results, which said the cells were not cancerous.

But she said the experience proves how quickly things can change, and fears recent changes to screenings for cervical cancer could “put women’s lives at risk”.

Women aged 25 to 49 who test negative for human papillomavirus (HPV) will now be invited to cervical screening every five years instead of every three, under new NHS guidelines.

According to Cancer UK, nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV. Most of the time HPV is cleared from the body by itself, but some types can cause cancer if they stay in the body for a long time so require extra monitoring.

Her mother, pictured, was also diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2018 and had to undergo a hysterectomy to mitigate the risks of the disease (Supplied)

After seeing the planned changes, Ms Barley started a petition to have them reversed and said: “I was really angry when I saw the changes. Because of my first-hand experience, it petrified me.

“My first smear was fine, and I’d seen no significant changes in my life since then. But then my second smear found abnormalities. That’s how quickly that could change, and yet they’re happy to extend it by a further two years.”

The change, set to take effect next month in England, follows recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee.

According to analysis from King’s College London, extending the screening interval to five years for HPV-negative women is just as safe as the current three-year interval, with a similar rate of cancer detection.

An NHS England spokesperson said: “We recognise that changes to cervical screening can seem worrying but want to reassure everyone that this new approach is based on robust scientific evidence.

“The NHS cervical screening programme tests for HPV and uses a better and more accurate test than before. This means if you test negative for HPV, you don’t need to be screened as often as your risk of developing cervical cancer is very low. If you test positive for HPV, we'll monitor you more closely with additional tests and follow-up appointments.

Gemma with her mother (Supplied)

“This personalised approach ensures everyone receives the right level of screening based on their individual risk factors, providing better protection while reducing unnecessary procedures.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “These changes are based on robust scientific evidence and an expert recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee.

“The NHS cervical screening programme tests for HPV which is a more accurate test than the old cytology [smear] test, therefore intervals for those not at high risk can be safely extended from three to five years.

“If you test positive for HPV, you can be assured you will be monitored closely with additional tests and follow-up appointments.”