My name is Lorna Dhami, I am a practise nurse
and a Queen's nurse.
And I've been doing cervical smear testing
for the last 25 years.
Cervical screening is also known as having a smear test,
and they mean exactly the same thing.
The letter comes through the post,
it usually has a big NHS stamp on the front of it.
It includes a lot of information of what happens,
at a smear test and why you should get it done.
It will also contain your CHI number and that's
your date of birth with another four digits after it,
which is your special unique number.
You also have the date the letter was sent out
to you and it will tell you to contact your local GP
and your local nurse to arrange to get
an appointment to have a smear test done or a chat about it.
The cervical smear test involves taking a check
of the cervix,
which is located inside the vagina.
It's quite a funny looking thing,
but the most easy thing to compare it is
like a mini doughnut.
And that's where you take the smear from.
The cervix has a few jobs.
It does help to keep babies up inside the Mum’s tummy
until the baby's ready to be born.
It does help keep unhealthy things
out of the body, such as tap water.
The flow of the period is controlled by the cervix
and let’s bits out over time,
All women and persons with a cervix are entitled
to have a smear test between the ages of 25
and 64 years of age.
You are entitled to have one if you are in that age group.
If you've not had sex before,
you might find the test a little bit uncomfortable.
It shouldn't be painful, but you are entitled to have it.
Your risk is smaller than someone who's had sex.
If your GP or nurse had said
that you don't have to have
one because you've not had sex.
I would certainly go back to ask why they think
that you shouldn't have it.
The test itself is really quite quick and simple to carry out.
It doesn't take long at all.
It may be slightly uncomfortable.
It shouldn't be painful,
if you're unsure about getting the smear test done.
The nurse can explain thoroughly what she's going
to do.
You have to feel comfortable getting the smear test done.
There are varying things that we can help you with.
If you want a friend or a family member to come with you,
then that's absolutely alright.
Most practises, we have a variable bed
which helps mobility or there's different positions
we can help you with as well.
If you want to take one the speculums home
with you and try it in the privacy of your own
home then that's fine too.
There's lots of things that we can do that may
help you feel better about it.
If you want to keep on your underwear,
then that's possible to to have a smear done then.
You can always request a double appointment if you feel you'd
need a double appointment as well,
there’s no problem with that at all.
You just have to call your GP practice and ask to speak
to the nurse and that could be a male or a female nurse.
If you’d prefer a female,
then you should say that to the person you're
booking the appointment with.