Home-testing kits now available for women who have missed cervical screening
The NHS in England is launching a program to send HPV self-testing kits to nearly four million women who have missed their cervical screening appointments. The initiative aims to increase early detection of high-risk HPV, which is the primary cause of cervical cancer.
Why it matters
Improving access to screening through home-testing kits could significantly reduce cervical cancer mortality rates by catching the disease in its early stages.
Image source, Getty Images By Nick Triggle Health correspondent Published 25 August 2026, 00:27 BST Women who have missed a cervical screening appointment in England are to be offered HPV self-testing kits by the NHS.
Over the next year, nearly four million will receive invites on the NHS App or via text message, email or letter to order a free kit to use at home.
Figures show around a third of women who are eligible cervical cancer screening have not taken up the offer recently.
The self-testing kits are designed to get more women checked for high-risk HPV virus, which causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer.
Image source, Other Image caption, Gem Sofianos-Boorman, 39, was diagnosed wither cervical cancer 11 years ago
Gem Sofianos-Boorman, 39, said her experience shows how important the screening is.
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