Pop-up cervical screening clinics help fill care gap for patients without family doctors

St. Joseph's Health Care London's pop-up cervical cancer screening clinics have tested 700 people to date. CTV London’s Reta Ismail reports.

More than 700 people have been screened through St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s pop-up cervical cancer screening clinics since the program launched in January 2024, highlighting ongoing challenges many residents face in accessing routine preventive care.

Seven clinics have been held to date, including one at London Health Sciences Centre, with hospital officials noting that most attendees do not have a family doctor.

“We’re trying to break down barriers to screening. One of those barriers being the inability for people to see a family doctor … and many people don’t even have a family doctor,” said Dr. Robert Di Cecco, medical director of St. Joseph’s Colposcopy Clinic.

Di Cecco said the strong turnout demonstrates a need for accessible screening services, particularly for people who may otherwise fall through the cracks of the health care system.

“By providing this particular service, I think we’re at least trying to get people, screened, because we do know that screening is one of the most effective ways of preventing, particularly, cervical cancer,” he said.

The clinics have also adapted to changes in Ontario’s cervical cancer screening program.

In March 2025, Ontario Health’s cancer agency introduced HPV-based cervical screening, replacing the traditional Pap test. The new screening method detects the human papillomavirus, the leading cause of cervical cancer.

“We’ve modified the cervical screening test to look specifically for evidence of HPV or human papillomavirus exposure. That is the biggest risk factor for developing a cancer of the cervix,” said Di Cecco.

While the screening experience for patients remains largely unchanged, Di Cecco said the HPV test is more effective and allows for longer intervals between screenings when results are normal.

Clinic data shows approximately five per cent of patients screened have had abnormalities requiring follow up.

“For the most part, we’ve been finding roughly 5 per cent of people that we’re screening do have an abnormality. Thankfully, nobody’s had a very serious abnormality. But we’ve identified people that do need to be followed closely,” he said.

Di Cecco noted that the rate is consistent with historical cervical screening results.

To reflect the province’s updated testing approach, the clinics have been renamed “Pop-up Cervical Check.”

No appointment is required to attend. Patients must be at least 25 years old and must not have undergone cervical screening within the previous three years.