Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

CancerReproductive healthOccupational Health

HPV vaccine effective against cervical cancer, but take-up low

by Nic Paton 22 Apr 2024
by Nic Paton 22 Apr 2024 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programme is up to 95% effective in preventing cervical cancer, official data has shown.

Analysis from the Office for National Statistics has shown this high rate of reduction in the risk of cervical cancer diagnosis can be achieved through vaccination for women aged between 23 and 30.

However, while welcoming the findings, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has warned that these results can only be achieved through continued uptake.

It has pointed out that uptake of the HPV vaccine is now significantly lower than before the pandemic, according to government data. Despite this, NHS England has pledged to eradicate cervical cancer by 2040.

Cancer and work

Fewer middle-aged dying from cancer, but cases rising overall

Third of women failing to check regularly for breast cancer

Embarassment top reason for women delaying cervical smears

The society has also pointed to data showing that the HPV immunisation programme in England almost eliminated cervical cancer in women born since 1995. The prevalence of the types of HPV linked to cancer in vaccinated women dropped dramatically to less than 1%.

In January, Scotland declared no cervical cancer cases have been detected in fully vaccinated women following the start of its HPV immunisation programme for those aged 12-13 in 2008.

RSPH chief executive William Roberts said: “The HPV vaccination programme is a success story of public health prevention. It is a simple, safe and effective intervention that is having dramatic results. When we think big on public heath, the results are transformative.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“This vaccine has the potential to save, and improve the lives of thousands of children by giving them a life free of cancer. As well as saving the health service money, the vaccine will prevent the children of today, as they grow up, from having to deal with the immense physical and emotional hardship that cancer has on people and their loved ones.

“Like all vaccines, its success wholly depends on continued uptake. That’s why it’s disappointing to see vaccination rates falling among children. Like many in the public health community, we are concerned about the long-term implications this could have. We know that young people overwhelmingly trust vaccines and we need to find ways to make it as simple as possible to get jabbed. This is a trend that we can and need to reverse to protect the health of future generations,” Roberts added.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
What could Usdaw’s case against Tesco mean for fire and rehire?
next post
More stimulating work can protect against later-life dementia

You may also like

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

Tool developed for employers to calculate cost of...

28 Apr 2025

Why employers must do more to support all...

24 Apr 2025

How to help employees quit vaping before new...

22 Apr 2025

NHS urging people to check for cancer warning...

22 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today