By Lucy Ashton
Two nurses have become the first in Greater Glasgow and Clyde to qualify as registered colposcopists to carry out cervical investigations, biopsies and treatments.
Alison McGowan and Kirsty Galbraith are now seeing around 100 patients a week after setting up dedicated clinics within weeks of finishing their training in October.
Colposcopy, biopsies and treatments to the cervix were previously only carried out by doctors, and Kirsty and Alison are the first of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s (NHSGGC) nurses to receive the qualification.
Their clinics are now aiding NHSGGC to tackle colposcopy waiting lists, which have significantly reduced following backlogs in laboratory and screening services caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A patient may be referred to colposcopy if their routine smear test has found changes or abnormal cells in their cervix – which can be caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) – or if they’ve had symptoms such as abnormal bleeding.
Cell changes caused by HPV do not automatically mean a person has cervical cancer, however early investigation or treatment can prevent abnormalities from eventually turning into cancer.
In many cases, no further action is required at colposcopy appointments, but a decision may be made to do a biopsy on the cervix, which Kirsty explained is a “very small pinch of tissue, smaller than a grain of rice”.
Both nurses said some patients may be anxious when coming to their appointment, but stressed that colposcopy exams should be nothing to fear.
Kirsty, who works between the Vale of Leven, Royal Alexandra and Inverclyde Royal hospitals, said: “The exam itself is similar to a smear test and can often be more comfortable as we use couches made specifically for pelvic examinations in our clinics.
“The most common thing we hear our patients say is: ‘that wasn’t as bad as I was expecting it to be’.
“It’s extremely important that people attend their appointments for further investigation as it allows abnormalities to be picked up early.”
Alison, based at Stobhill Hospital, LEFT, added: “In a lot of cases, no treatment is required and the patient is simply monitored.
“But keeping your appointment and having that investigation as scheduled could mean that if you do need treatment to remove pre-cancer cells, that treatment will be minimal.
“We know that having both the HPV vaccine and routine cervical screening will dramatically reduce the number of people with cervical cancer in Scotland, and what we find is that the most serious cases we see are those who have defaulted on going for their smear tests.”
A recent study by Public Health Scotland, in collaboration with the universities of Strathclyde and Edinburgh, revealed that no cervical cancer cases have been detected in fully vaccinated women following the HPV immunisation at age 12-13 since the programme started in Scotland in 2008.
NHSGGC is holding vaccination clinics in universities in its area to ensure it is offered to anyone up to the age of 25 who did not receive it at school.
Dr Emilia Crighton, NHSGGC’s Director of Public Health, right, said: “We are delighted that two of our nurses are the first in Greater Glasgow and Clyde to become registered colposcopists.
“Alison and Kirsty have now commenced their own clinics and are seeing patients with all grades of abnormal smears, carrying out colposcopy examinations and treatments when appropriate.
“We know that long waits can add to patients’ anxiety and we have worked extremely hard to significantly reduce colposcopy waiting times.
“Having both the HPV vaccine and routine cervical screening, as well as attending colposcopy appointments when required, will dramatically reduce the number of people with cervical cancer in Scotland.”
Caption: Alison McGowan and Kirsty Galbraith are now seeing around 100 patients a week.