Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance Programme Director, Lucy Turner, is pledging to support Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust ‘Time to Test’ campaign and encouraging all Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance employees to attend cervical screening appointments.
The pledge coincides with the launch of Public Health England’s (PHE) Cervical Screening Campaign, urging women to attend their cervical screening, with data showing that the number of women attending screening has fallen to a 20-year low.
Cervical cancer is a life-threatening disease but one that is largely preventable thanks to screening and vaccination. Cervical screening is one of the best ways to protect from cervical cancer and it is estimated that if everyone attended screening regularly, 83% of cervical cancer cases could be prevented.
Lucy Turner said: “I am pleased to announce that I have signed the Time to Test pledge and extended this to all cancer screenings for Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance employees.”
The Cancer Alliance, which brings together all the organisations that commission and provide cancer services in the Humber, Coast and Vale area, works to improve services, care and outcomes for everyone with cancer and Lucy is urging other organisations within the alliance to sign the pledge and offer time off for employees to attend cancer screenings too.
Lucy said: “Humber, Coast and Vale Cancer Alliance seek to improve cancer survival rates by ensuring more people are diagnosed at an earlier stage; by improving cancer awareness and uptake of screening. Therefore, it is vital that everyone attends cancer screening when invited and without delay.
“We have already seen organisations within the alliance, such as Hull CCG, sign the Time to Test pledge and I encourage other organisations to offer paid time off for employees to attend cancer screenings too.”