How Laura* Overcomes the Challenges of Bilateral Hip Dysplasia to Access Cervical Screening
Key Highlights :
Living with a disability can be challenging, and for 28-year-old Laura*, who has bilateral hip dysplasia, it can make everyday tasks that others take for granted more difficult. For Laura, this includes accessing cervical screening.
Laura, who asked not to be named, has had the condition her whole life and admits that she “doesn’t know anything else”. Her condition can be painful, uncomfortable and make some movements impossible.
When Laura attended her first cervical screening appointment shortly after her 20th birthday, she was not prepared for the challenges she would face. The nurse asked her to lay on the bed and “bring her feet to her bum, dropping her knees to the side” – a common position for the exam to be carried out in, but one Laura simply cannot do.
“She had no idea I was disabled so I told her I couldn’t get into that position and explained why but she was completely shocked,” Laura said. “You could tell she wasn’t sure what to do and I had no experience of it so I wasn’t sure what I needed to do or what kind of position I needed to be in. I asked her to let me get comfortable, but it was really difficult, and she ended up just, kind of, pushing the speculum in and it was quite painful. Traumatic, really.”
Sadly, for Laura, the nurse was not prepared for her condition, and she felt that no guidance or support was given to her. She felt that the NHS should have been better equipped to support her and other disabled people, as they “deal with these conditions day in, day out”.
Research has found that disabled women are among the least likely to attend routine appointments, and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust has found lack of awareness and support for women with both physical and learning disabilities has created a roadblock for those in need of the examination.
Fortunately, Laura’s next experience was much better. She was referred to the clinic at Stobhill Hospital for a colposcopy, and the hospital was better equipped with a rotating chair and stirrups.
“It was so much easier because I wasn’t having to contort into strange positions so I asked if I could carry on having all my smears there in the future,” she said.
Laura’s experience highlights the need for better awareness and support for disabled people when it comes to accessing cervical screening. It is essential that health boards and GP surgeries work together to ensure every woman with a physical disability can access screening in a way that is appropriate for her.
No one should face stigma or have to fight for access – cervical screening is already not always easy. It is important to remember that everyone is different, and that everyone should be able to access the care they need without fear or judgement.
