Cervical Smear Test

The Amara Clinic offers cervical smear or PAP testing in a Consultant-led women's health clinic in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells. Regular smear tests can diagnose HPV or wart virus infections and help prevent cervical cancer. The highly-skilled specialists at The Amara Clinic can work with you to identify problems, access effective treatment, and protect your future health.

Many women are nervous about smear tests, and some may have missed screening because of the pandemic. If you need a cervical smear, The Amara Clinic can offer expert testing, in a comfortable and discreet clinic, at a time that suits you.

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What is a smear test?

The cervix is the neck of your womb, where the uterus joins the vagina. It is the part of the womb that opens during labour for the baby to be born. Sometimes, the cells lining the cervix can change, increasing the risk of becoming cancerous. Several things can trigger this change- but experts believe the most important factor is certain types of human papillomavirus or HPV infection.

A cervical smear test is also known as a PAP screen. In a smear test, a specialist takes cells from your cervix and sends them for expert analysis in a laboratory. It's an investigation designed to detect the presence of high-risk HPV infection, which is a known risk factor for abnormal cells developing in your cervix. Where this is present, the test will go on to check for abnormal cervical cells- so the complete test is both thorough and very accurate.

The vast majority of women will have a normal cervical smear result but when this not the case, the whole team at The Amara Clinic are here to support you through the next stage of your patient journey and ensure a formal diagnosis is reached and a treatment programme planned as soon as possible.

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Who needs a smear test?

Women can develop cervical cancer at any age. However, it more commonly affects sexually-active women between 30 and 45. Cervical abnormalities are thankfully rare in women under 25, so we usually recommend regular smear tests, usually every three years, for women between the ages of 25 and 50 and then every five years between 50 and 65.

If you're unsure whether you need a smear test or are concerned about symptoms, The Amara Clinic can arrange private smear tests and expert analysis of the results.

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Smear tests at The Amara Clinic

The Amara Clinic offers expert smear testing by experienced healthcare professionals in a calm, stress-free environment.

With current NHS demands, many women feel worried about their gynaecological health and accessing the care they need. The Amara Clinic offers investigations and treatment by a highly-skilled Consultant Gynaecologist and a supportive multi-disciplinary team.

The team will ensure that you feel relaxed and comfortable during your test, always treating you with respect and discretion. Your specialist will take some cells from your cervix for examination under the microscope. They will also take time to explain your results, discuss if further treatment is needed and arrange a referral for further treatment or follow-up if necessary.

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Cervical cancer prevention

Cervical cancer is a common condition affecting more than three thousand women in the UK every year. The good news is that you can help prevent cervical cancer; data from Cancer Research UK shows that 99.8% of cervical cancer cases are preventable. Help reduce your risk of cancer with the following:

  • Regular smear tests: The Amara Clinic offers smear tests to spot any changes in the cells lining the neck of the womb, so that we can arrange to remove or destroy them to prevent cancer.
  • HPV prevention: Some strains of the human papillomavirus or HPV are linked to cervical cancer. It's a common virus, and not everyone is at risk, but some subtypes cause abnormal changes in the cells lining the cervix and increase the chance of getting cervical cancer. Early HPV vaccination can stop you from contracting the virus and protect against cancer.
  • Stop smoking: Smoking can reduce your body’s ability to fight the HPV virus.
  • Barrier methods of contraception: Using male of female barrier contraception, for example condoms, has been proven to reduce the incidence of STIs and cervical abnormalities.
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Why choose The Amara Clinic?

Consultant-led care

The clinic is led by Miss Anne Henderson, a highly experienced Consultant Gynaecologist and accredited British Menopause Society (BMS) specialist, one of only 200 specialists across the UK. She works with an experienced multi-disciplinary team to support women during the menopause and throughout their reproductive lives.

Seamless service

All your requirements including consultations, investigations diagnostic tests, surgical procedures and prescriptions can be accessed in-house through a seamless process which rarely requires external referrals. Most women will see the same practitioner throughout their treatment journey, receiving not only a high level of expertise but also continuity of care.

One-stop service

At The Amara Clinic our mission is to make it easy for all women to access the quality healthcare they need. We offer a wide range of services including face-to-face and virtual appointments depending on your needs and location. We can also provide an extensive range of investigations including blood tests and imaging, treatments and private prescriptions. Our medical team cover a comprehensive selection of health concerns including general gynaecology, perimenopause and menopause, cervical screening and Well Woman health checks.

Healthcare by women for women

We offer personalised treatment and sensitive support in a comfortable, private space. The Amara Clinic offers exceptional bespoke health and menopause care in a boutique clinic in the heart of Tunbridge Wells as well as virtual consultations for patients across the world.

The medical team at The Amara Clinic will take time to talk through your smear test results, explain the findings, and discuss any further investigations or treatments needed.

They may refer you for a colposcopy examination, in which a specialist examines your cervix under a microscope and take biopsies for analysis. Depending on the results of these investigations, you may need surgery or localised treatment to remove or destroy any abnormal cells from the cervix and stop cancer from developing.

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