IN BRIEF
MORE THAN 21,000
WOMEN IN WIRRAL
MISS SCREENINGS FOR
CERVICAL CANCER PORT SUNLIGHT VILLAGE
TRUST ACHIEVES
INVESTORS IN PEOPLE
SILVER STATUS
Recent figures from Public Health England show that
21,258 eligible women in Wirral have missed their
cervical screenings, also known as their ‘smear test’, in
recent years. Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT), has achieved
Silver Status following their recent Investors in People
assessment, which took place across the whole of the
Wirral based Trust.
Health chiefs are urging these women to make sure they’re up to date
with their cervical screening or ‘smear test’. Most recent data for the 3-5
year period up to June 2019 shows that in Wirral, 13,158 women aged
25 to 49 went unscreened while a further 8,100 women in the 50 to 64
group also missed their smear test. PSVT was awarded the esteemed ‘silver’ accreditation for the way
in which it has created a workforce of staff and volunteers who are
engaged, empowered and focused. PSVT, alongside their Strategic
Five Year Plan which was launched last June, are using the Investors
in People framework as a tool to support their mission of becoming a
“brilliant place to work”.
Cllr Chris Jones, Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health, said:
“Cervical screening is one of the most important things you can do
to protect yourself from the risk of cervical cancer. While it’s not the
nicest thing in the world, it’s relatively quick and, most importantly,
screening can stop cancer before it starts and saves thousands of lives
every year. I would urge anyone who thinks they may have missed a
screening to call their GP and check.”
Due to the introduction of HPV vaccination for 12-13 year old girls in
2008, which was extended to 12-13 year old boys in 2019, considerable
reductions in cervical cancer diagnoses are expected in years to come.
However, the HPV vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV
that can cause cervical cancer, so whether you’ve been vaccinated or
not, it’s still very important to go for screening. Health chiefs also
want to give reassurance to women, who may be fearful of finding
out they have cancer, that cervical screening is not a test for cancer.
Regular screening, which only takes a few minutes, can help stop
cervical cancer before it starts, as the test identifies potentially harmful
cells before they become cancerous and ensures women get the right
treatment as soon as possible.
Dr Paula Cowan, Chair of Wirral CCG, said: “Research shows that
when they have been screened, the vast majority of women feel positive
about the experience, with 8 in 10 stating they are glad they went and
that they were put at ease by the nurse or doctor doing the test. If you’re
feeling worried about your screening, please let your smear taker
(nurse or doctor) know and they can help to allay your fears. It can be
mildly uncomfortable for some, but screening usually takes about five
minutes and can be potentially life-saving.”
Visit www.nhs.uk/cervicalscreening for more information.
8 wirrallife.com
The Investors in People award recognises excellence in areas including
people management, leadership and performance evaluation. Fewer
than 600 organisations in the UK have been given the Investors
in People Silver award, which equates to less than 3 per cent of all
organisations awarded the Investors in People Standard.
Paul Harris, Chief Executive at PSVT comments; “This is a fantastic
achievement and a massive testament to how far we’ve come in the last
few years. I would like to congratulate the whole team for their hard
work and commitment to continuous improvement. I take huge joy
in knowing the assessor was particularly impressed by the dedication
and passion of our entire workforce.”
“Investors in People is an important step on our journey towards
creating a sustainable future for our organisation, our people, and
this very special village. The hard work doesn’t stop there, however.
We will continue to strive to achieve our ambitious plans for Port
Sunlight.”
Heather Beattie, Investors in People Assessor agrees; “PSVT is
an organisation that has high aspirations and expectations. With
a vision of being “an inspiring place to live, work and visit” the
leadership team has successfully worked with residents, employees
and professional bodies to define clear strategies which will deliver a
positive sustainable future for the village.”
For more information about PSVT, please visit:
www.portsunlightvillage.com