Spotlight: the psychology of why women don’t attend screening

Earlier this year, the NHS issued a call for anyone eligible for cervical screening to come forward for a potentially life-saving appointment, with nearly a third, around 4.6 million, not taking up their latest test. Screening for women is a way of finding out if they are at higher risk of a health problem so that early treatment can be offered or information given to help them make informed decisions. And this screening can save lives. At the time, National Clinical Director for Cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said there are lots of reasons why somebody might not want to come