Home / Health / Wheelchair User Denied Vital Cervical Screening
Wheelchair User Denied Vital Cervical Screening
7 Jan
Summary
- A woman in a wheelchair faced multiple appointment cancellations.
- Accessibility issues prevented her from entering the treatment room.
- She expressed distress over not feeling safe within the NHS.
A woman reliant on a wheelchair has shared her profound disappointment and frustration after multiple attempts to obtain a cervical screening were thwarted by accessibility issues. The 33-year-old from Preston, Lancashire, recounted how she could not even enter the treatment room for her appointments, leading her to cancel them.
She revealed this was the fourth such attempt that had been impacted by these barriers, stating her belief that the NHS should be a secure place where she could attend appointments without anxiety. Her experience highlights a significant gap in healthcare accessibility for women with disabilities.
In response, an NHS England spokesperson emphasized that screening services are mandated to implement 'reasonable adjustments' to ensure women with disabilities can access essential healthcare. This incident underscores the ongoing need for improved accessibility within healthcare facilities nationwide.
