YouScreen V1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
YouScreen: A pragmatic implementation feasibility clinical trial of offering HPV self-sampling to cervical screening non-attenders within the NHS cervical screening programme in England
IRAS ID
264776
Contact name
Anita W W Lim
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN12759467
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
In England, cervical screening uptake has been falling for 21 years. London consistently has the lowest uptake nationally. Underscreened women are at the highest risk of cervical cancer. A potential solution is to offer self-sampling for HPV (human papillomavirus) testing: women can take their own sample, in private and at a time and place of their choice.
Research has shown that offering self-sampling increases uptake in non-attenders and that self-samples have similar accuracy to conventional (clinician-taken) samples. Uptake has been highly variable between studies and likely to differ between settings.
To date, all UK studies have been done outside of the national cervical screening programme. Self-samples have not been recorded in the national screening database and not counted towards uptake (and GP financial incentives) and therefore had suboptimal uptake.
A challenge with introducing new tests is establishing robust pathways for accurately identifying the relevant population, recording and reporting results. This will be an implementation feasibility project of offering self-sampling to non-attenders in 5 Clinical Commissioning Groups with the lowest uptake in North and East London. All 212 GP practices will be invited to take part. The target population will be women at least 6 months overdue cervical screening. Kits will be offered in two ways: (i) a systematic offer – women at the 15 month anniversary of their last test due date without being screened will be mailed a kit (ii) an opportunistic offer in GP primary care – GPs, nurses and Healthcare assistants will be asked to offer eligible women kits when they consult for any reason.
The project will serve to test the new pathways for delivery, generate lessons to help ensure a smooth transition to a wider roll-out and provide the evidence-base for implementing self-sampling at scale.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/WM/0120
Date of REC Opinion
28 Apr 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion