20 November 2020
Extra clinics are now available for Islanders who had their cervical and breast screening appointments delayed or cancelled while COVID-19 restrictions were in place.
Screening appointments restarted in September, after delays to invitations for follow-up appointments. The additional clinics aim to reduce the impact that restrictions had on services.
Women who are required to be seen more frequently have been contacted and prioritised first but now the extra clinics, and additional capacity, will enable practitioners to support all patients who were due routine appointments this year.
General Manager of the Primary, Prevention and Intermediate Care (PPIC) Group, Claire Thompson said: “If your routine cervical screening was cancelled earlier this year, you will be contacted by your usual screening provider, either your GP or Le Bas.
“We are making every effort to reduce the impact that the Covid-19 outbreak has had on these vital services. We want to make sure impacted patients are screened as soon as possible and take women off the waiting lists. Additional capacity has now been arranged to allow us to catch up with these screening procedures and extra clinics will be in operation in between now and the end of the year.”
Islanders who had their cervical or breast screenings cancelled will be contacted to rearrange their appointment by their usual screening provider, either GP, the PPIC group, or Le Bas Centre.
Additional cervical screening appointments are being made available at Le Bas Centre and the General Hospital is working through the breast screening waiting list. For Islanders who usually receive their cervical screenings with their GP, they should expect to receive an invitation for an appointment.
Claire Thompson continued: “The catch-up clinics will help to reduce the backlog in appointments. Last year, it was fantastic to see around 7,200 women receive a cervical screening which was a 22% increase compared to 2018. Over 4,980 women had a breast screening examination, 88% of those invited to attend. We want to maintain these good figures which can be lifesaving for some women.
“It’s important to remember that screening is for healthy people with no symptoms. If you notice any unusual changes to your body, please talk to your GP.”
For information about cervical screening and how to register, as well as find information about the symptoms of cervical cancer and how to reduce the risk.
More information related to the breast screening, symptoms to look for, as well as how to use the online registration form
If Islanders expecting an invitation for an appointment do not receive a call or letter, they are advised to call their GP or Le Bas centre on 443781 to make an appointment.
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