As part of the ongoing campaign to promote cervical screening and other women’s health information, we’re co-planning in person information sessions to coincide with Women’s Health Week in September at libraries across Moira Shire. Here are the details:

Moira Shire has been identified as an area where cervical cancer screening is low, and so WHGNE in partnership with NCN Health and Goulburn Valley Public Health Unit are supporting some community engagement activities to help spread the word and encourage more testing.

We know from our previous projects such as Long Story Short, and in speaking with women across the region, that there are many barriers that may prevent them from easily accessing cervical cancer screening. Things like availability of GP appointments, cost, limited public transport, being able to get time off work or caring duties, can all make getting a test harder.

That’s why, as part of the Cancer Council Victoria’s campaign to promote cervical self-collection, we’re letting women and gender diverse people in Moira shire know what their options are in accessing cervical screening.

As a part of the regional campaign launched and funded by Cancer Council Victoria to promote cervical Self-collection and the prevention of cervical cancer in the Moira Shire a partnership was formed between WHGNE and regional partners, GVPHU and NCN Health.

As part of this campaign, a pop-up cervical self-collection clinic was set up in partnership with GV Health’s Meryula Clinic.

On 27 June as part of the regional partnership, a Women’s Wellbeing Event was held at Cobram Community House. The Women’s wellness event helped us to raise awareness in the community on the importance of cervical screening and self collection method, eligibility criteria for screening and details of local cervical screening providers.

This event was also helped us to promote the details of the self-collection pop clinic that we held with GV Health’s Meryula Clinic on 18 July at the same venue, which was fully booked on the day.

This partnership has provided opportunity to encourage GP clinics in the Moira Shire to register their clinic details on the Cancer Council’s Cervical Screening directory, making local service information more accessible for community. You can access a PDF copy of the directory here.

• Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers, if found early.
• Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus spread through sexual contact.
• A Cervical Screening Test (which replaced the Pap test) looks for human papillomavirus (HPV).
• Finding HPV early gives you the best protection against cervical cancer.
• If you are a woman or person with a cervix aged 25 to 74, you need to do a Cervical Screening Test every five years, even if you don’t have any symptoms.
• You have a choice for your next Cervical Screening Test. You can have the test done by a doctor or nurse, or you can self-collect your test, using a small swab.
• If you can’t get into a clinic, you may be able to book a telehealth appointment and have a self-collected test kit sent to you. Speak to your healthcare provider about this option.
• Self-collection is done in a private space at a healthcare clinic, usually behind a curtain or in the bathroom.
• Self-collection is quick, easy, private and just as accurate as a test done by a doctor or nurse.
• Telehealth appointments for cervical screening are available for women and people with a cervix living in regional Victoria. Book a telehealth appointment for a self-collected Cervical Screening Test with Sexual Health Victoria.
• Use Cancer Council Victoria’s Cervical Screening Directory to find a cervical screening provider that suits your needs.
• Find out more about cervical screening and the self-collection option at cancervic.org.au/cervical.