HEALTH chiefs in Bradford have been reminding women not to be complacent about their health during national Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, which ends tomorrow.

Recent research has shown that uptake for cervical screening tests is falling nationwide, with just 62.5 per cent of women aged 25 to 64 accessing programmes in the Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group area, well below the national average of 74.3 per cent.

Suzanne Taylor, a nurse colposcopist for Bradford Teaching Hospitals, teamed up with staff at the Shipley-based ARCH charity yesterday to raise awareness of the NHS national cervical screening programme, which encourages women to attend smear tests every three years.

"Early detection is key to increasing survival rates and educating everyone on the disease, its symptoms and ways to prevent it," she said.

"It’s vital that women attend their routine smear test invitations and don’t ignore their appointment, as this test can help reduce your risk of cervical cancer.

"Cervical Cancer Prevention Week provides us with an opportunity to remind women that they need to take care and listen to their bodies."