More girls protected against cervical cancer

Date published: 22 September 2011

More than 90 per cent of year 8 girls in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale have been protected against cervical cancer.

The school health team at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has reached its target to immunise 12 to 13 year old female pupils with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, which protects against cervical cancer.

Jan Reynolds, Clinical Lead for School Health, commented: “For the second year running we have successfully achieved our targets for the HPV vaccination. The school health team has worked closely with support staff, partners in local schools and parents to ensure the uptake of the vaccine is as high as possible.”

The HPV vaccination is given in three separate does over six months, meaning that it can be difficult for school health teams to encourage girls to have all three doses. If all three does are not given, girls will not be fully protected against cervical cancer.

The vaccine protects against the two strains of HPV (16 and 18) that cause cervical cancer in over 70 per cent of women. It does not protect against any other sexually transmitted infections or against pregnancy. 

The HPV vaccine does not protect against all cervical cancers so it is really important for all girls to have cervical screening later in life. 

Dr Helen Lewis-Parmar, Consultant in Public Health, said: “Cervical screening remains essential in preventing cervical cancer, young women should be encouraged to attend for screening when invited from the age 25.”