BBC: "At-home cervical screening tests offered in England" (implications for PwME)

Sasha

Sasha

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
The upcoming January roll-out of home test-kits for cervical screening has just been announced, and it's interesting that a PwME was chosen as the person to feature in the BBC's coverage of the story, as a person who finds it impossible to go for screening in a clinic:

BBC said:
Hazel Stinson, 49, from Kent, suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome and was last able to visit the GP for a cervical screening six years ago.

She says she is "absolutely thrilled" that at-home testing is being rolled out across England.

"This will mean that I and millions of other people just like me will be able to have the test when otherwise they might not be able to do it," she added.

Ms Stinson said as someone with chronic fatigue, which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME, "the most important thing is to advocate for yourself".

She says she has always been left "feeling fearful" that her inability to attend the GP regularly for tests like cervical screening could really affect her health.

"I'm unwell enough as it is - I really don't want anything else on top of this," she explained.
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Big thumbs up for Hazel Stinson for giving a clear account of her problem in accessing healthcare. (Pity the BBC made the 'chronic fatigue' slip-up.)

I think being able to home-test for all sorts of things is hugely important for PwME and I wish that more home-testing for the sort of things you'd have to go to a clinic for was more widely available.

I'm wondering what other test are in the pipeline, or that researchers should be aiming to produce.
 
Good news. There’s so much that could be made more accessible. Which would work for people with many different conditions, and just convenience for others.

And could even be cheaper to deliver! (I heard on a programme a little while back this is why there’s been an increase in at home things in parts of the US, insurance companies realised it was cheaper to deliver basic tests and even treatments in people’s homes).
 
Sasha said:
The upcoming January roll-out of home test-kits for cervical screening has just been announced, and it's interesting that a PwME was chosen as the person to feature in the BBC's coverage of the story, as a person who finds it impossible to go for screening in a clinic:



Big thumbs up for Hazel Stinson for giving a clear account of her problem in accessing healthcare. (Pity the BBC made the 'chronic fatigue' slip-up.)

I think being able to home-test for all sorts of things is hugely important for PwME and I wish that more home-testing for the sort of things you'd have to go to a clinic for was more widely available.

I'm wondering what other test are in the pipeline, or that researchers should be aiming to produce.
Click to expand...
When I looked up a few weeks ago there aren’t many illnesses where a young or old person is too weak to leave the house on a long term basis, so i'm not surprised that the bbc found a CFS patient, even if it hasn't decided whether it's in our heads or not.
 
Ooh, that sounds good. Presumably it's a different way of testing too.

I haven't been screened for 25 years because it's agony. It hurt so much last time that I was sick, and they hadn't even managed to find my cervix to do the screening! The "some people find it uncomfortable" line has always been infuriating for those with retrograde uterus, who leave the room shaking and crying from the pain.
 
Kitty said:
Ooh, that sounds good. Presumably it's a different way of testing too.

I haven't been screened for 25 years because it's agony. It hurt so much last time that I was sick, and they hadn't even managed to find my cervix to do the screening! The "some people find it uncomfortable" line has always been infuriating for those with retrograde uterus, who leave the room shaking and crying from the pain.
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I'm so sorry to hear about that, Kitty! What horrible agony.

Yes, the new thing is basically an extra-long Q-tip, as I understand it. :thumbup:
 
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