CERVICAL screening tests, also known as smear tests, will now screen for the human papillomavirus (HPV) – the main cause of cervical cancer.Any Monklands residents going for cervical screenings in Lanarkshire will receive a more sensitive test which will screen for HPV and help ensure cell changes are identified and treated earlier.The new test is more effective at identifying those at risk of developing cervical cancer.
This means women who don’t have HPV will be invited for a cervical screening test every five years, regardless of their age.Chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood said: “Introducing HPV testing as part of the main smear test will improve health outcomes for women and ultimately save more lives.“The way the test is