A survey of the cervical screening service in a London district, including reasons for non-attendance, ethnic responses and views on the quality of the service

A survey of 400 Ealing residents was conducted from the Department of Public Health in Ealing Health Authority to ascertain why the response to the call/recall letters issued by the Family Health Service Authority (FHSA) was at most 33%. Views about the service were also investigated. The findings were that satisfaction with the service was high and more women were covered than previously thought. However with close to 40% inaccuracies on the prior notification list (even after amendments by the GPs), few assumptions about the response to the call/recall system could be made until the FHSA mailing list is systematically reformed. A small but well defined group of older women were very infrequent, if ever attenders; their reasons were amenable to health education and encouragement by health professionals. Easily identifiable differences between ethnic minorities and women from U.K. backgrounds related to the choice of screening venues. However there were indicators of more fundamental problems of access to, and equity in the service in relation to certain ethnic minorities. Requests were made on approximately one third of completed questionnaires for further health checks which mainly related to general and cardiovascular fitness. Regular reviews of the service including feedback from the target group can yield valuable managerial, medical and quality assurance information.