Smear tests

The Ladies with Letters was set up after a major review of cervical screening was announced in the Southern Health Trust.

Crystal Manuel survived cervical cancer and says she is concerned about less frequent screenings.

But a Bristol doctor says getting a smear test at your GP surgery is still the "gold standard".

Plans are still being finalised but it is hoped women in deprived areas, where uptake is lower, will get the tests first.

Michelle Guy says she hopes to encourage women to get smear tests after the cancer was caught despite her having no symptoms.

Uptake of cervical screening among women aged 25-29 is as low as 40% in the South East, data shows.

New testing methods which are more accurate than previous tests lead to the changes.

The interval will increase from three years due to advances in screening, public health bosses say.