From today, all women and people with a cervix in Australia will be able to self-collect a sample for their cervical screening test. This self-collection will pave the way for GPs to help reach underscreened women and overcome some patients’ barriers to screening.
Self-collection means individuals take their own cervical swab privately within a medical environment or clinic which is then sent directly for testing.
The cervical screening test checks for the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common virus that can cause changes to cells in your cervix, which in rare cases can develop into cervical cancer.
Jean Hailes for Women’s Health CEO Janet Michelmore AO says:
Early diagnosis is beneficial for almost any health condition. Cervical screening tests can pick up a health issue before it becomes an issue. That is the reason why we welcome every opportunity to remove barriers that prevent women and people with a cervix from having the test.”
Janet Michelmore AO
To make it easier for women to have a cervical screening test – either a medical practitioner or nurse-taken test, or a self-collection one – Jean Hailes has established a nurse-run cervical screening clinic every second Monday from 4 to 7.30pm at our East Melbourne clinic.
Jean Hailes for Women's Health is national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the health of all women. The organisation was founded 30 years ago in honour of pioneering medical practitioner, Dr Jean Hailes, who established the nation’s first (and only second in the world) women’s health clinic dedicated to menopause. In 2022, Jean Hailes now operates two clinics in Victoria, servicing all women’s health needs.
Jean Hailes for Women’s Health provides free, evidence-based health information for all women, girls and gender-diverse people. Consumers can access fact sheets, booklets, health tips, videos, animations, articles and podcasts. Resources and educational kits are available in easy-to-understand English as well as Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dari, Farsi and Hindi, amongst others. Jean Hailes also offers accredited e-learning courses, webinars, and plain English and in-language resources for health professionals to support their clinical practice.
