August 11, 2008
NHSG/64/08
Roadshow encourages girls in Grampian to take up anti-cancer jab
A colourful roadshow aimed at girls in NHS Grampian will be at Aberdeen’s Trinity Centre, on August 12, to highlight the forthcoming immunisation programme to help protect girls from cervical cancer.
Dr Helen Howie, Consultant in Public Health Medicine from NHS Grampian, and Eunice Chisholm, Lead Nurse in Aberdeenshire, will be visiting the event to talk to girls and their parents. Promotional staff will also be on hand with leaflets, information and goodie bags for girls who are keen to find out more about HPV and the immunisation. NHS Grampian’s website also features links to information about cervical cancer and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
From 1 September, all girls in Scotland aged 12-13 (S2) will be offered immunisation, to protect them against the two main types of HPV, the primary cause of cervical cancer. At the same time, a catch-up campaign for girls aged 13 to 17 will be implemented over a three-year period.
The immunisation programme is largely schools-based, girls who have left school will be contacted by NHS Grampian to make arrangements for their immunisation.
The Together We Can Fight Cervical Cancer Roadshow takes the form of a pink ‘photobooth’, where girls can get their photographs taken to bring the campaign rallying call to life – ‘together we can fight cervical cancer’. Photographs from around the country will then be displayed on a giant screen on the side of the booth.
Dr Lesley Wilkie, Director of Public Health for NHS Grampian, said, “We welcome the introduction of this important immunisation programme for girls in Grampian. This is the first time we have had a vaccine to prevent the commonest cause of cervical cancer and this immunisation is vital in the fight to significantly reduce future cervical cancer rates in Grampian. We are committed to delivering the programme and helping to protect young people in the area from a devastating and life-threatening disease.”
The new awareness campaign driven by the Scottish Government aims to encourage girls in Scotland to look out for information on HPV and cervical cancer before being immunised when they return to school after the summer break.
Over 1,000 women in the UK die from cervical cancer each year and around 100 in Scotland, It is the second most common cancer affecting women worldwide.
ENDS
Notes to news editor
The Together We Can Fight Cervical Cancer Roadshow will be at the Trinity Centre, on August 12, 2008 between 11am and 5pm.
Consent forms will be issued to girls once they return to school after the summer holidays. Information is also available through a variety of channels, including leaflets, a website, TV, radio, cinema and online advertising.
Any parent, carer or girl seeking further information will be able to visit the dedicated public website An NHS helpline is also available on 0800 22 44 88.
Although there are around 100 different types of HPV, two particular types, 16 and 18, are responsible for around 70 per cent of all cervical cancers. The vaccine that protects against the HPV types 16 and 18 that has been selected for use following a UK-wide procurement exercise is Cervarix®, made by GlaxoSmithKline.
In Scotland, the routine programme will target 30,000 girls in S2 each year. A further 120,000 girls will be immunised in a 'catch-up' campaign for those aged 13 to 17. This will be implemented over a three-year period from 1 September 2008, starting with 16-17 year olds. Girls aged 16-17 who have left school will be contacted by their local NHS to make arrangements for their immunisation.
The immunisation will involve having three injections over a period of six months to get the best protection. The nurse or doctor will give the injection in the upper arm.
The HPV immunisation programme is being delivered by the Scottish Government, Health Protection Scotland, National Services Scotland and NHS Health Scotland in conjunction with local NHS boards.
For further information, please contact NHS Grampian Corporate Communications, on 01224 554400.