By Talking Health TV –

A pioneering drop-in screening service is coming to community venues across Kirklees this spring, aiming to make potentially life-saving cervical screening easier than ever to access.

Kirklees Council’s Public Health Team has launched an innovative mobile cervical screening project, offering residents a convenient and accessible alternative to attending their GP practice.

The mobile unit, funded by West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance, will travel to a series of community locations across the borough throughout March and April, providing free drop-in cervical screening for women and people with a cervix who have received an invitation or missed a previous appointment.

Bringing Screening to the Community

Cervical screening is a vital tool in the prevention of cancer, saving thousands of lives every year by checking for cell changes on the cervix so that any abnormalities can be monitored or treated before cancer has the chance to develop.

Operating as a drop-in service, the mobile unit is specifically designed for those who are overdue for screening or have missed previous appointments.

It provides a safe, private, and comfortable environment, and the screening test itself takes less than five minutes, with the full appointment lasting around ten minutes.

Residents are also welcome to bring a friend, family member, or chaperone for support.

“Cllr Beverley Addy, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Kirklees Council, said: I’m delighted that we are bringing this life-saving screening opportunity directly into our communities.

“By making cervical screening more accessible, we hope to encourage more residents to take up their invitation and reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer.

“I would strongly urge anyone who is due for cervical screening or have missed an appointment, to visit the mobile unit when it is in their area.”

Expert Support on Hand

Dr Nabanita Ghosh, Community Gynaecologist and Women’s Health Specialist, will be personally delivering the screening service at the mobile unit.

“I will be offering cervical screening at the mobile unit, and I’m very much looking forward to supporting this important screening programme in Kirklees.

“Cervical screening plays a crucial role in preventing cervical cancer. If you are due cervical screening or have received a letter inviting you to attend for screening in the past, and you did not attend, please pop along to see me at the mobile unit or book an appointment at your GP practice.

“If you or a family member has questions or concerns about cervical screening, please do come along for a chat. We can have a friendly conversation, and I am able to offer support in English, Urdu, Hindi and Bengali.”

Where and When to Find the Mobile Unit

The mobile unit will visit the following locations across Kirklees. No appointment is needed — simply drop in during the times listed below:

• Monday 16 March, 9.30am–9.30pm — Dewsbury Minster, Vicarage Road, Dewsbury WF12 8DD
• Monday 16 March, 1.30pm–4.30pm — Eddercliffe Health Centre, Eddercliffe Crescent, Liversedge WF15 6LP
• Monday 23 March, 9.30am–12.30pm — Clare Hill Community Centre, Clare Hill, Huddersfield HD1 5BS
• Monday 23 March, 1.30pm–4.30pm — Al-Hikmah Centre, Batley WF17 7AA
• Monday 30 March, 9.30am–12.30pm — Ravensthorpe Community Centre, 24 Garden Street, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury WF13 3AR
• Monday 30 March, 1.30pm–4.30pm — Accu Football Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield HD1 6PG
• Monday 13 April, 9.30am–12.30pm — Jubilee Centre, Market Street, Paddock, Huddersfield HD1 4SH
• Monday 13 April, 1.30pm–4pm — Chestnut Centre, 2A Chestnut Street, Huddersfield HD2 1HJ

Act Now — Screening Saves Lives

Kirklees Council is encouraging all eligible residents who have received an invitation or missed a previous screening to make use of the mobile unit when it visits their area.

For those unable to attend the mobile unit, appointments can also be booked through a GP practice.