Today was my last day. I was gifted by some beautiful gifts by some wonderful colleagues. As I move back home, I wanted to take the opportunity to share something with you all. At the moment, women are invited to cervical screening, which involves the use of a speculum and brush/

For some women, peri and post menopausal women, and other conditions may suffer from vaginal dryness which really should mean that lubricant should be used also. Lab techs don’t want this to happen because it can sometimes ruin the sample and mean it has to be taken again /

so most sample takers will not use lubricant. If you are in the groups I mentioned before, this will most always cause pain, sometimes tearing and bleeding, but discomfort is guaranteed. there are a few solutions to this. 1) the correct size speculum should always be used to fit/

The patient (there are 6 at present). 2. Lubricant can be used on the shaft of the speculum before insertion (always water based) and 3. These women could be prescribed topical oestrogen 2 weeks before their appointment. So women, be informed and please ask when you making /

Your appointment about all 3. However, in these times of restrictions, when we are all open to change, we should be introducing the self sampling model for this cohort of women, if not all. There is no longer a requirement to reach the cervix as we now check for the presence of /

HPV which can be found on the vaginal wall. the technology is available for this to be rolled out now but isn’t. There is at least a 6 month backlog in screening appts in Scotland. This would solve this issue somewhat. It would also mean an end to unnecessary intimate and /

Often painful examinations. Women can do it themselves, at home and send back their test. I urge you all to email your MSP and ask why these haven’t been rolled out already when other countries use them quite successfully. Women should not have to put up with pain when there is /

Already a solution to this. After all, no man has to go through the indignity of a prostrate examination without the medic using as much lubricant as required to remove risk of pain. I know it’s not the same exam, but this is a feminist issue. An issue for all women.