Cervical Screening Timescales

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:05 pm on 11 January 2022.

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Photo of Vikki Howells Vikki Howells Labour 2:05, 11 January 2022

Thank you, First Minister. I'm sure like many of us here today, I was contacted by lots of constituents concerned that Cervical Screening Wales had extended the routine interval for cervical screening from three to five years for those aged 25 to 49. I appreciate the reasoning behind this decision, based as it is on a good news story of medical advancements and the resulting guidance from the UK National Screening Committee. But the communication of that news, with little detail as to why this change was happening, was problematic to say the least. How has the Welsh Government engaged with partners to get that information out there, and what lessons have been learnt regarding the communication of this type of important public health message in the future?