Healthwatch Enfield is running a survey to try to find out more about why people are not getting screened, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Healthwatch Enfield is conducting a survey to find out more about the “barriers” to breast and cervical cancer screenings locally following a decline in attendance.

Holly Smith, who is leading on the project, said there was “especially a gap” between the national target for cervical screening of those aged 25-49 years and the local rate in Enfield.

The latest figures from 2024 showed the cervical screening rate for this age group was 63.3%, well below the 80% government target.

For older groups, people aged 50-64 years, attendance was higher at 73.2%, however this is still lower than the 80% target, which is also the target rate for breast cancer screenings.

Breast cancer screenings showed a similar story, although the decline is not “as sharp”, with the screening rate is 65.3%.

The North Central London NHS area, which includes Enfield and four other boroughs, currently has the second-lowest levels of both breast and cervical cancer screening coverage in England.

Focusing on the 25-49 age group’s cervical screening rate, Holly said: “The people who tend to do a survey tend to also go to screenings. There’s still some useful insights in there but it’s great to hear from people who haven’t gone.

“From the people who’ve been to screenings there does tend to be a theme on how pleasant the procedure is in terms of the room being cold and it being a very clinical experience.”

Holly explained that for people concerned about attending, a family member, friend or NHS chaperone can be present during the screening.

“The most common thing people give [say] is trauma,” Holly said.

Referencing a similar study, she said: “There is a lack of trauma-informed care, it’s obviously quite a sensitive procedure to have done and that [care] just doesn’t seem to be available.

“That’s the main thing. There’s a lack of awareness around adjustments that can be made, and I don’t think every single healthcare professional, not to blame people, is always conducting [screenings] in the most gentle way.”

Holly explained some respondents had said they’d had negative past experiences and that was the reason they did not attend again.

In terms of the reasons people avoided breast screenings, Holly said the responses were more “varied”.

Travel was a reason that came up, as well as the machine used during the procedure being “very painful” for some people.

She said: “Often it takes quite a long time to get to where the appointments are and that’s proven to be a barrier.”

In contrast the reason people gave for attending both breast and cervical cancer screenings, by far, was that they understood it was “important”.

Holly said: “What is encouraging people to go is their own personal knowledge around the procedure’s importance, so that highlights reasons to have convincing campaigns and for doctors to talk about what the procedure is and how it helps.”

The Healthwatch Enfield survey will run until Friday, 7th March, and is only open to Enfield residents.

The organisation is also holding multiple workshops over the next few weeks. One will be with homeless people, another with disabled people, and a third with residents from ethnic minority backgrounds, to help understand attendance trends.

For more information and to take part in the survey:
Visit Healthwatch Enfield Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Survey 2025

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