Supporting the uptake of cervical screening
Summary
Healthwatch Islington worked with community partners, clinicians, and Cancer Champions to support conversations around cervical screening and HPV vaccination with women from Somali, Turkish, Eritrean, Kurdish, Iranian, Latin American, and other communities experiencing health inequalities. The project delivered 11 wellbeing workshops attended by 186 women and followed up with 98 one-to-one conversations about screening experiences and barriers to attendance.
The project found that many barriers to screening were linked to limited understanding of cervical screening, confusion about eligibility, anxiety around the procedure, and previous negative experiences with healthcare services. Workshops helped improve understanding of HPV, cervical screening, and the HPV vaccine, while clinician involvement increased trust and encouraged open discussion in community settings.
The report also highlights how culturally sensitive outreach, trusted relationships, and community-based health promotion can help improve access to preventative healthcare for underserved groups.
Key findings
• 186 women attended wellbeing workshops between November 2025 and February 2026.
• 98% of participants said the information provided during workshops was either “good” or “very good”.
• 70% of women who responded to questions about HPV vaccination said they felt more open to allowing their children to receive the HPV vaccine after attending a workshop.
• The most common barriers to screening were not understanding the value of screening, not understanding why they personally needed to attend, anxiety about the appointment, and previous negative experiences.
• Women reported that having clinicians attend workshops helped build trust, improve confidence, and create opportunities for more open conversations in non-clinical settings.
Download
Download the 'Supporting the uptake of cervical screening within communities experiencing health inequalities' report here
