Question reference: S6W-05765
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 20 January 2022
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Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on HPV self-sampling, and when it plans to introduce this method to the cervical screening programme.
Answer
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has not yet made a recommendation on the use of self-sampling in the national cervical screening programme. However the UK NSC continues to gather and evaluate evidence on the matter. Scotland is playing an active part in evaluating the benefits of self-sampling, through a study in NHS Dumfries and Galloway. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure that we can roll it out as soon as possible once a recommendation is made. Patient safety is our top priority and we will not act until we are assured it is safe to do so.