The practice is taking part of the ACES at Home Study. The study is sponsored by The University of Manchester in collaboration with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. A researcher from the study, under contract, is working with the practice to identify eligible participants and send invitations. They will also create an anonymised study data set: age, ethnicity, deprivation code and date of last cervical screen.
The study is going to identify the patients within the practice who are overdue cervical screening by 6 months or more and invite (text/letter) them to collect a urine or vaginal sample at home. The sample is taken at home and returned to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust for HPV testing.
The study is randomised so not all patients overdue will be invited to take part in the study.
Why are they doing this study?
Currently only 70% of those invited attend cervical screening. Reasons people may not attend include embarrassment, discomfort, inconvenience or fear. Our goal is to find ways of making cervical screening easy, accurate and convenient so that everyone can attend.
Cervical screening tests for human papillomavirus (HPV) in cells collected from the cervix using a soft brush. The cervix is the opening to your womb at the top of the vagina. Some types of HPV can cause changes to the cells in the cervix. If the test is positive the cervix cells are analysed, further investigations organised and treatment done, if needed. In this way, cervical screening saves lives from cervical cancer.
This study is looking at whether more people will take up cervical screening if they are offered free, easy to use, urine or vaginal self-sampling kits that can be used in the comfort of their home.
How accurate is a urine or vaginal self-sample for cervical screening?
Vaginal self-sampling is already being used in some national screening programmes, including in Australia and the Netherlands. Vaginal self-sampling is as accurate as routine cervical screening, picking up around 95 out of every 100 cervical pre-cancers.
Urine self-sampling is a newer test. Early results suggest urine self-sampling may be slightly less accurate, picking up around 92 out of every 100 cervical pre-cancers which would be detected by routine cervical screening. Through ongoing research, we hope to improve the accuracy of the test.
Will I still need to be seen for my Cervical Smear if I take part in the study?
Yes, you will still need to attend the practice to see the Nurse for your cervical smear.
What to do if you need more information or to opt out of the study.
Contact the study team at aces@manchester.ac.uk or 0161 701 6941.
Will any identifiable data be transferred by the practice outside of the NHS?
No. The University of Manchester will only receive anonymous data i.e. age, ethnicity, deprivation code and date of last cervical screen.
