Cervical screening coverage for women eligible for testing has fallen in the last year, according to new statistics published by NHS Digital.

Latest figures for the NHS Cervical Screening Programme for the 2016-17 financial year have revealed that coverage for women aged 25 to 64 was 72.0 per cent as of 31 March 2017, down from 72.7 per cent in 2016 and from 75.7 per cent in 2011, when collection of age appropriate coverage began.

The decline was seen across all age groups, with coverage for women aged 25 to 49 at 69.6 per cent, compared to 70.2 per cent in 2016 and for women aged 50 to 64, coverage was 77.2 per cent, a decline from 78.0 per cent in 2016.

Cervical screening detects abnormalities within the cervix that could, if left undetected and untreated, develop into cervical cancer.

Public Health England (PHE) has issued a fresh appeal to young women to take up the invitation of a cervical cancer test. Professor Anne Mackie, PHE’s director of screening, said: “It is of real concern that fewer women, particularly younger women are not being screened, with over a third of women under 30 not taking the test.

“If women are embarrassed about having the test or worried about what the test results might say, they should talk to their GP who can explain why the test is important.”