86 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2EB, United Kingdom
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Private Cervical Screening (Cervical Smears)
Private, Discrete Cervical Screening With Rapid Results At The Hove Practice
We offer Cervical screening with our experienced clinicians to anyone over the age of 25 in our Private Practice. We use the largest Independent laboratory in the country to process the test and your results will be as reliable as those performed in the NHS.
Our aim is to ensure that your Cervical screening is as comfortable as possible.
We begin each appointment by discussing your answers to our pre-appointment questionnaire that is sent to you upon booking. This is to explore and discuss any concerns that you might have and to better understand your gynaecological history in advance of your appointment.
We believe that little things make a big difference to your experience. Our consultation rooms are quiet and private and our clinicians are dedicated to ensuring you feel as comfortable and at ease as possible. We offer up to 30 minutes for your appointment to allow ample time to support you and explore any concerns you may have.
We also want for you to avoid long waits for results and will do our utmost to provide you with your results and initiate any plan that may be necessary within ten days of your smear and, often, sooner*.
*Please be aware, if further testing is requested/required or there are rare delays at the laboratory outside of our control, the result may be slightly later than this.
What is Cervical Screening and why is it important?
A cervical screening test checks for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection and changes in the cells covering the neck of your womb. These changes could develop into cervical cancer if they aren’t treated.
Around 3,200 women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year. Worldwide, it’s the fourth most common cancer in women. Screening can pick up changes in the cells of your cervix that could lead to cervical cancer in the future.
Cervical screening saves about 4,500 lives every year in England.
What is my sample tested for and how is it managed?
Cervical screening is highly effective at preventing cervical cancer. Screening means testing for early signs of an illness before you have symptoms. Cervical screening detects the presence of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and, if present, changes in the cells covering the cervix (the neck of your womb) that could develop into cancer in the future. It isn’t a test for cancer. It’s a test for abnormal pre-cancerous changes in these cells, which can then be treated to stop cancer developing.
The sample that your clinician takes will be tested for certain types of HPV. HPV causes more than 99% of cervical cancers. If you don’t have HPV, you are very unlikely to have abnormal cells or to develop cervical cancer. This means the cells in the sample won’t need to be examined further.
If HPV is found, your cell sample will then be checked for any abnormal changes.
There is more information about what happens next in the section: "Receiving your results".
Remember that cervical screening is for women who don’t have symptoms. If you have any symptoms you’re worried about, such as bleeding between periods or after sex, abnormal vaginal discharge or pain, please book an appointment with one of our GPs. Don’t wait for your routine screening appointment.
Who should have cervical screening?
Women and people with a cervix who have had any type of sexual contact with men or women should have cervical screening. If you’ve ever had sex, even if you aren’t now having sex, you should still have ongoing screening.
Screening detects Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection, a very common virus which causes changes to cervical cells and can lead to cervical cancer. Most women acquire HPV at some point in their lives. For the majority of these women, their body will resolve the infection and they won't know that they have the virus. Unfortunately, the virus can also lie dormant and cause abnormal cells to develop later on meaning you may have unknowingly been infected with HPV by a previous partner, months or even years ago.
The NHS screening programme is tremendously effective but, it is our belief, despite the overall risk being low, that individuals should have access to more frequent screening than is available via that system should they wish or should be able to catch up with a missed cervical smear appointment as soon as possible.
If you haven’t ever had any form of sexual contact, you might decide against screening.
If you’ve had a hysterectomy, you won’t need screening unless your cervix wasn’t removed. Depending on why you had a hysterectomy, you may be asked to have a different type of test called a vault smear. The process involved is similar, but please ask one of our clinicians for more information before booking as we may require Consultants oversight to offer this service.
Other Methods of Preventing Cervical Cancer: Vaccination including with Gardasil 9 Vaccination
Screening for cervical cancer to help detect it early, when it is highly treatable, is one component to preventing advanced cervical cancer.
A further, highly effective, option is vaccination with "Gardasil 9", which protects against 9 common types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV; a virus which causes Cervical, Vulval, Vaginal, throat and anal cancer along with genital warts). Standard "Gardasil" protects against 4 types of HPV.
There are around 40 types of HPV which are transmitted through sexual contact and 13 types which can cause cervical cancer. HPV types 16 and 18 cause 80% of cases of cervical cancer and HPV types 6 and 11, cause 90% of cases of genital warts.
"Gardasil 9" provides protection against Types 16, 18, 6, 11, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58 therefore protecting against the majority of HPV causes of cervical cancer and genital warts.
For individuals aged 15 and over this consists of a course of three vaccines given within a year-long period. Unfortunately, this does not cure existing conditions nor completely prevent them due to the numerous types of HPV in existence, however it does seem to be having a significant impact in reducing these diagnoses amongst vaccinated individuals.
We are happy to offer this vaccination at The Hove Practice, according to the manufacturers recommendation, for individuals up to 45 years of age. You may wish to start this course at your Cervical Smear appointment. Please contact us upon booking to discuss this so we can ensure we have the vaccination in stock.
Alternatively, please discuss it with your clinician at the appointment and they will be able to advise upon its suitability for you and arrange another appointment.
Please note, even if you have had the Gardasil/HPV vaccination, regular cervical screening tests are still required as it does not protect against all strains of HPV.
Our cervical screening programme
The Hove Practice facilitates a cervical screening programme for all women or people with a cervix aged 25 years and older. This can be used in conjunction with the NHS screening programme or, for our international patients, outside of it and in line with your home country's screening regime.
We recommend screening up to annually, which many of our international patients are used to as it is common practice in several other Western countries to have the test more frequently than we do within the NHS. (For example in Austria, Greece and for individuals under the age of 34 in Germany.)
This can be interspersed with the three yearly screening currently offered to women via the NHS following a normal result (abnormal results are likely to be offered more frequent cervical screening via the NHS). Over the age of 50, the NHS offers cervical screening every 5 years. Over the age of 65 it is only undertaken if a previously abnormal result has been identified.
We offer the following testing options:
High Risk HPV only (Appointment cost: £180 plus sample fee £90):
As performed in the NHS. If your sample is positive for high risk HPV. A microscopic review of the cells sampled (cytology) to look for abnormalities along with further verification of the presence of HPV, is automatically performed; free of additional charge.
High and Low Risk HPV (Appointment cost: £180 plus sample fee £140):
This is as above with the addition of looking for lower risk forms of HPV. In total, 20 different types of HPV are tested for. Unfortunately low risk does not equate to no risk and, therefore, you may wish to perform this test to help guide the frequency of future testing required. A microscopic review of the cells sampled (cytology) to look for abnormalities along with further verification of the presence of HPV, is automatically performed; free of additional charge.
Cervical Cytology (Appointment cost: £180 plus sample fee of either £200 for High risk HPV only or £250 for High and Low Risk HPV):
If, regardless of your HPV result, you prefer to ensure your cervical cells are reviewed under a microscope, we are able to request this for you. High Risk HPV is also tested for, automatically with this option.
High and Low Risk HPV can be tested for an additional £50.
Further tests:
We offer the option of testing for 7 common sexually transmitted infections from the same cervical sample for an additional sample fee of £170. This can be requested up to 21 days following your appointment, should you decide to request this after your visit. Please see our sexual health page for more information regarding options and pricing.
Preparing for your cervical screening test
It’s best to have your screening test appointment when you’re not having a period. If you’re bleeding, your sample may be difficult for the laboratory to process and you may need to return to repeat the test. The best time to have screening is halfway between one period and the next, although this is not essential.
During the two days before your test, you shouldn’t use any spermicide (including condoms coated with spermicide), lubricating jelly or vaginal creams. This is because chemicals in these products can affect the test.
We are unable to offer cervical screening if you are, or may be, pregnant.
Receiving your cervical screening test results
Your clinician will let you know when you can expect your results. Your results will be sent to you via secure email generally within ten days*, and potentially as few as six days, of your appointment.
Please contact us if you have not received your results within ten days of your appointment.
*Please be aware, if further testing is requested/required or there are rare delays at the laboratory outside of our control, the result may be slightly later than this.
Possible outcomes following your cervical screening test result
Normal Result:
This will be the outcome in seven out of eight patients. You are welcome to book your next smear with us in one or two years’ time (depending on when your NHS smear is due and your preference). Despite the reassurance that accompanies a normal cervical smear result, you should still always report any unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge to your GP.
‘Inadequate’ or ‘Unsatisfactory’ Result:
Sometimes the result may be 'inadequate' or 'unsatisfactory' because there weren’t enough cells in the sample or the cells couldn’t be seen clearly. This may be because of an infection, for example. If this happens, you’ll be asked to have another test after three months or you may need treatment before it is repeated.
Abnormal finding on examination:
Very rarely, your clinician may identify an abnormality of your Cervix, Vagina or Vulva on examination. At this point they will recommend either a review with a GP (if you are attending an appointment with a nurse) or advise referral to a specialist for review and treatment.
We are able to write to your NHS GP to recommend an appointment or refer directly to a private specialist. Please note, the NHS will have their own processes for managing referrals and, unfortunately, other than presenting our findings, we are unable to influence these.
Abnormal finding on laboratory testing:
If you receive an abnormal result, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have cervical cancer. It means one of the following three things:
· You have HPV but your cervical cells look normal
· You have HPV and also have borderline or mild changes to your cervical cells
· You have HPV and moderate or severe changes to your cervical cells
Changes to the cells from your cervix is called ‘dyskaryosis’. This is where the nucleus of the cell appears abnormal. These changes might go away on their own, but they might develop into cancer if they’re not treated. What happens next depends on how abnormal your cells are.
Treating abnormal cervical cells
Although we do not provide treatment for abnormal smear results at The Hove Practice, if your screening test shows cells with moderate or severe changes, you’ll be referred to a specialist to have a procedure called 'colposcopy'.
The Hove Practice can either refer you to a private specialist or write to your NHS GP to recommend that they refer you.
If colposcopy identifies an area of your cervix that looks abnormal, the specialist will take a small sample of the abnormal tissue (‘biopsy’) that is sent to a laboratory to be examined further.
Depending on the result, you may need to have treatment to remove or destroy the abnormal cells. The usual way to do this is with a large-loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) or loop diathermy. During this procedure, your doctor uses a precisely targeted wire loop with an electric current to remove abnormal cells.
Alternative treatments exist and will be considered and discussed on a case by case basis with your specialist.
In the vast majority of cases, these treatments are curative and, other than following a regular screening programme, there is little more required.
Questions?
We recognise there is a lot of information to take in here, that's why our clinicians are more than happy to explain the procedure and your options further during your appointment.
If you prefer, please email reception@thehovepractice.co.uk or call us: 01273 733830 with any queries or to book.
Alternatively, please click below to book online now.