More women with breast cancer are surviving without the need for major surgery compared to 30 years ago, a consultant oncologist has revealed.

Breast cancer specialist Dr Sunil Upadhyay, who works at the Queen’s Centre in Cottingham, said medical advances used by the team mean the majority of women no longer require mastectomies.

Instead, most women from Hull, East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire undergo lumpectomies to remove the tumour or therapies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy without having their breasts removed.

The team, based at Castle Hill Hospital, are also able to harvest eggs and save ovaries to protect younger women’s chances of motherhood. They can also use special “cold caps” to try to prevent a woman losing her hair during chemotherapy.

At the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr Upadhyay sent out a positive message to women diagnosed with the condition.

“I’m not just saying we’ve got better at treating breast cancer – we’ve got miles better,” he said.

“Since the 1990s, survival rates, not just for five or 10 years but the ‘cured for good’ rate, have been going up and up and up.

“Not only are more women surviving, we’re also providing people with better support before, during and after treatment.”

The Queen’s Centre, regarded as a UK centre of excellence in oncology care, sees around 600 women with breast cancer each year.

Dr Upadhyay is part a multi-disciplinary team of consultants, breast surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, breast care nurses and support staff who meet every week to discuss the best course of treatment for each patient.

With vast experience after more than 27 years at the trust, Dr Upadhyay said more women are coming forward than ever before thanks to the national breast cancer screening programme. Campaigns such as encouraging women to check their own breasts regularly have also seen earlier diagnosis, allowing more women to survive.

“The treatment has become better with the number of mastectomies going down significantly,” Dr Upadhyay said. “Local excision of the tumour (lumpectomy) is now much more common.

“Even when women present with large tumours, we’ve become very good at shrinking them with chemotherapy or hormone therapy so patients don’t need mastectomies.”

For the small number of women who still need a mastectomy, the team ensures she has reconstructive surgery while still on the operating theatre to minimise psychological trauma.

Dr Upadhyay said: “We can now offer immediate breast reconstruction with the help of our plastic surgeons so when the women wake up, they have a reconstructed breast already.

“That is definitely a good thing for the patients and their nearest and dearest but it’s also a good thing for other women with breast cancer to know.”

The team can also access latest drugs now available to NHS patients for tailor-made treatment plans.

Dr Upadhyay said: “Over the last 10 years, six or seven new drugs have become available to NHS patients allowing us to personalise treatment in a way that wasn’t possible before.

“One person might get Treatment A while the other gets Treatment B because we know every woman is different with different types of cancers.

“These drugs mean we can offer the treatment that is going to work best for them. Not only does this produce the best outcome, it also means fewer unnecessary side-effects.”

He said new methods of radiotherapy like the Deep Inspirational Breath-Hold (DIBH) technique and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) limit damage to other organs and bones and reduce scarring to breast tissue.

“The outcomes are brilliant and the side effects are minimal compared to what we used to see 30 years ago,” he said. “And the best thing is all of these techniques we are able to offer patients right here at Castle Hill.”

As well as better treatment, the emotional and psychological needs of patients and families are also looked after by the team at the Oncology Health Centre.

Dr Upadhyay said: “We not only aim to give people the best treatment, we want to make sure they are supported too.

“While no one wants to hear they have breast cancer. But what we can say now is that things have really improved.”

A choir helping people whose lives have been touched by cancer is looking for a new leader.

Positive Note was set up by the Living With and Beyond Cancer team at Castle Hill Hospital to help survivors, people currently undergoing treatment, those with terminal diagnoses and relatives.

Now, the choir, which meets every week, is looking for someone with musical ability to direct their singers.

Specialist oncology nurse Sarah Guest, who leads the Living With and Beyond Cancer team, said: “The choir is a fantastic way for people to make new friends with people who understand what they are going through and share experiences.

“We’re looking for someone who can give us great musical direction and mirror the energy and enthusiasm of our members.”

Between 20 to 30 singers meet every Tuesday night during term-time between 6.30pm and 8.30pm. They have already performed at charity events and been asked to sing at weddings for people undergoing treatment at the Queen’s Centre.

Anyone interested in the position of choir leader or who would like to join the choir should contact Sarah on 01482 461091.

Hundreds of patients awaiting the removal of cataracts are set to benefit after Hull partnered with US eye health giant Bausch and Lomb to trial new laser technology.

Hull Eye Hospital has just taken delivery of the Victus 3^rd Generation Femtosecond Laser Platform

Surgeons at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will use the technology to operate on patients undergoing cataract removal surgery for the next month.

The laser emits pulses lasting one quadrillionth of a second, allowing incisions to be made with increased precision. The ultra-short pulses also assist the surgeon by breaking down the cataract into small pieces before the procedure to remove it begins.

Ophthalmic surgeon Colin Vize, Medical Director of the Family and Women’s Health Group, said: “We see around 5,000 patients every year for the removal of cataracts and they already benefit from a great service where we correct any problems with their vision at the same time.

“This trial means our patients can now benefit further because our team can use the latest technology during surgery.

“It’s great news for Hull and further underlines our reputation in delivering great care to our patients.”

A mum has praised Hull’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after her son was born with a rare condition affecting just one in 5,000 babies.

Harry Smith was born with Hirschsprung’s disease, a rare and life-threatening disorder of the bowel.

He was rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital and underwent three biopsies, a barium x-ray and a colostomy by the time he was six weeks old.

Now seven months old, Harry is recovering after undergoing “pull-through” surgery to re-section his bowel.

Mum Vicki, 30, said:  “My view is he had this, he had to get it fixed or he would die. And that’s why he’s here, rolling around on the carpet.

“Babies born with Hirschsprung’s disease have a low chance of survival without intervention so, for me, it had to be done.”

Hirschsprung’s disease is a congenital disorder where nerve cells do not develop through the full length of the bowel. Babies with the condition are unable to push faeces through the bowel in the usual way.

The disease can cause severe constipation or enterocolitis, a serious bowel infection, if it is not identified and treated early enough.

Vicki and husband Mike, who live in Selby and have a three year-old daughter Lily, were overjoyed when Harry was born at York Hospital weighing 8lb 2oz in February.

Only able to manage small feeds, Harry was vomiting them back up again and was taken to the Special Care Baby Unit with a distended stomach.

Symptoms of Hirschsprung’s disease in a newborn include the failure to pass meconium, a swollen stomach and vomiting green fluid known as bile.

As Harry had passed a small amount of meconium, the disorder was initially discounted.  An x-ray showed free air in his bowel so he was transferred to Hull’s NICU when he was three days old.

Vicki said: “I was able to stay with Harry while he was in NICU and they were really good.

“It was difficult, living 40 miles away and having a three year-old at home, but I was able to stay with Harry and get home when I could.”

Consultant Paediatric Surgeon Sanja Besarovic, known to families as Miss B, suspected Harry had Hirschsprung’s disease despite him passing meconium.

“Miss B is definitely the person you want to look after your child when they are sick,” said Vicki.

Harry was allowed home after nine days after he managed to pass faeces and started tolerating feeds but his parents had to rush him back to NICU three days later when his bowel became blocked again.

Vicki and Mike travelled back and forward to Hull for weeks so Harry could be given enemas to clear his bowel.

None of the biopsies or the barium x-ray provided conclusive confirmation of the condition and, when he was six weeks old, Harry underwent a colostomy to create a temporary opening in his stomach to collect faeces.

It was only then, when cell samples were taken from his bowel during surgery, that a diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease could be confirmed.

Following the colostomy, Harry started to thrive.

When he was five months old, the affected part of the bowel was removed and the healthy section was connected directly to the anus to allow faeces to be passed, reversing the colostomy.

Harry spent two days in the paediatric high dependency unit at Hull Royal Infirmary before he was transferred to Acorn children’s ward for seven days.

Vicki said: “He’s doing really well now and we continue to receive support from Miss B when needed. I would just like to raise awareness of this condition through education and give a big thanks to Miss B and her team.”

Ophthalmology Consultant Colin Vize shares his top tips for healthy eyes as part of National Eye Health Week

• Make sure you go for an eye test every two years. This applies to children as well as adults and, if you’re over 40, you might need to go more often
• Know your history. Ask family members about their eye health as some conditions are hereditary. Problems experienced by older relatives may mean you’re at higher risk of developing problems so your optician needs to know
• Watch your diet. Eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, especially green leafy veg like spinach, kale and spring greens, is good for eye health. Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as fresh tuna and salmon are also ideal for healthy eyes
• Stick to a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk of diabetes which can lead to vision loss through diabetic eye disease or glaucoma
• Wear protective safety glasses, goggles, safety shields and eye guards when playing sports or doing DIY and tasks around the house
• Stop smoking. It’s linked to age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and optic nerve damage, all of which can cause blindness
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays. Ensure they block out both UVA and UVB rays
• If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen, adopt the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds to reduce eye strain
• If you wear contact lenses, always wash your hands thoroughly before taking them out or putting them in. Make sure you follow your optician’s advice on insertion and removal.

People are risking blindness by drinking too much and continuing to smoke, a hospital eye surgeon has warned at the start of National Eye Health Week.

Consultant Ophthalmologist Colin Vize of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said changing unhealthy lifestyles now can help prevent sight loss as you grow older.

Mr Vize said smokers and heavy drinkers are more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of sight loss in the UK.

And smokers are also more likely to develop cataracts sooner than non-smokers.

Mr Vize, based at Hull and East Yorkshire Eye Hospital, said: “We tend to take our sight for granted, with little thought to how blindness or the deterioration in our sight would impact on us.

“But losing your sight is devastating. Taking sensible steps to improve your lifestyle now can mean you’ve got a far reduced chance of developing problems in the future.”

With National Eye Health Week running from September 24 to 30, Mr Vize is advising people to reduce their risk of developing eye disease by stopping smoking.

People should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread over three or more days. Having drink-free days in the week can also help cut your alcohol consumption.

The over 60s , people from Afro-Caribbean or South Asian backgrounds, people with a learning disability and those with a history of eye disease in their families are at greater risk of developing conditions such as glaucoma and diabetes.

Mr Vize said everyone should go for an eye test every two years although people over 40 and those from black or minority ethnic groups may require tests more often. Drivers should also get their eyes checked regularly to ensure they can fulfil the legal requirement to read a number plate from 20 metres or face losing their licence.

Eye tests not only alert your optician to your need for glasses or a change in an existing prescription, they can also detect early problems before you’re aware of any other symptoms.

Children should also get their vision checked every two years.

Mr Vize said: “People should visit their optician or GP if they have concerns about their vision at any time, even if they are not due an appointment.

“These are the simple steps people can take to protect their sight and ensure their eyes remain healthy throughout their lives.”

Three new roles have been introduced in Hull where people can earn while they learn to achieve their dreams of careers in nursing.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is working with the University of Hull and Hull College to promote alternative pathways into nursing alongside the traditional three-year nursing degree course.

Students have just begun a Trainee Nursing Associate programme in conjunction with the University of Hull, combining four days of hospital-based experience with classroom learning while earning a wage.

Other students have also started three-year nurse apprenticeships, a new route into nursing where they will be paid to work at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital at the same time as attending university.

Nursing associates outside the Allam Medical Building

Next month, 15 health care support worker apprentices will also earn a salary during an 18-month educational programme run by Hull College, the University of Hull and the trust to gain a Level 3 BTEC in Health Care.

Practice Development Matron Nicola Buckle said: “These new roles allow us to offer an alternative pathway into nursing as the traditional route of a three-year degree is not an option for everyone.

“We’ve worked with the University of Hull and Hull College to create these new routes into nursing so people in our community can achieve their ambitions.

“It’s no secret that the NHS is facing national recruitment challenges so these new pathways will allow us to grow our own nursing staff as well as offer new opportunities to our own workforce.”

Professor Julie Jomeen, Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Hull, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Hull & East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Hull College on these new innovative career pathways.

“As a university we look for ways to address the needs of the local population and NHS service providers. Accessible courses that guarantee a career on completion do just that and we continue to build our apprenticeship portfolio, working closely with the trust.”

The Trainee Nursing Associate role is a two-year practice-based foundation degree programme and 19 are set to qualify in May after the trust was chosen to pilot the course.

The new intake of 15 students starting this month will work four days a week at the trust, with three of those days on a ward. The fourth day will be spent on placement in an area linked to their chosen specialty.

They will attend university one day a week, qualifying as a registered Band 4 Nursing Associate in September 2020, and will be paid by the trust throughout their studies.

While working in the hospitals, Trainee Nursing Associates will wear navy blue trousers and white tunics with lilac epaulettes to distinguish them from other members of staff.

Upon qualification, they can either join the trust as Band 4 Nursing Associates or continue their studies for a further year to become registered nurses.

Nurse apprentices

The Nurse Apprentices is a new route into nursing. Some of the students beginning the course this month already worked for the trust in different roles, either as health care assistants or administrative staff, but wanted to progress a career in nursing.

Wearing navy blue trousers and white tunics with green epaulettes, they will be paid an apprentice’s salary by the trust while they learn. They will be based on a ward for one day a week and spend three days a week on placement, taking in nine different placements such as surgery, medicine, community and mental health. They will also attend the University of Hull for one day a week.

The Nurse Apprentices will qualify as Band 5 registered staff nurses at the end of the three-year course but without accruing the £27,000 course fees associated with a traditional nursing degree. This makes nursing a more viable option to people already in paid employment who faced the prospect of giving up a salary to study before the new course was introduced.

The Health Care Support Worker Apprenticeship is the third new role and is a partnership between the trust, Hull College and the University of Hull.

Open to school leavers and students over 16, the students, who will also be paid an apprentice’s salary, will be encouraged to use the BTEC qualification in health care as an entry requirement for a nursing degree.

They will wear navy blue trousers and white tunics with grey epaulettes to spend 80 per cent of their course with the trust, learning fundamental nursing care such as assisting patients with their washing, dressing and hygiene needs, food and nutrition and skin integrity. The other 20 per cent of their course will be spent at Hull College.

Practice Development Matron Simon Knopp said: “We look forward to welcoming these 45 students into the trust and supporting them as they work towards their qualifications.

“Our new routes into nursing mean people who felt they couldn’t afford to give up work while studying to become a nurse now have new routes open to them.

“This is a positive development for our staff and our community by ensuring we have a workforce, trained to the highest standards, to provide first-class care for our patients.”

Michelle Swithenbank, CEO and principal of Hull College, said: “As a former nurse, I am passionate about helping young people embark on rewarding and successful careers in healthcare.

“We recognised that there was a need to deliver training linked to employment within the sector which is why we approached both the University of Hull and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

“This gives students an excellent opportunity to begin an apprenticeship knowing that there is a career opportunity for them at the end of it.”

They’ve been married “a lifetime”, he says, delighting in comfortable bickering which springs from decades of entwined existence.

Not long ago, his wife was diagnosed with dementia. She’s started falling, six times already this year. He might be criticising her “daft shoes”, now replaced with sensible flats, but worry is etched on his face.

Physiotherapist Charlotte Clee has been bleeped to the Rapid Access Clinic, across from the Emergency Department. Being part of the Frailty Intervention Team is just one of the many roles performed by the physiotherapy staff at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.

The FIT team aims to prevent older people being admitted unnecessarily and to stop them coming back to hospital and a physio assessment is a key component.

“We see everyone who is 80 or above and anyone else who is likely to be frail or has a frailty need,” says Charlotte.

“We know that even an overnight stay for a patient over 80 can shorten their life because of deconditioning, muscle wastage and the risk of infection.

“If we can get them home, it’s better for them.”

Getting patients home as soon as they well enough is a central role of hospital physiotherapists. But they will only agree when the correct support is in place.

Physio teams are assigned to all the health groups, working in specialities including orthopaedics, surgery, neurology, respiratory and emergency medicine.

On the Elderly Assessment Unit, clinical lead Bex Redmond and senior therapy assistant Layla Thornton check Cayder for the red circles identifying patients awaiting physio assessments.

On this 20-bed unit alone, there are six new patients and four “work in progress” all requiring their attention.

The women are part of the medicine team assigned to the Department of Medical Elderly, Ward 50, Ward 100 and Ward 70.

They also work closely with patients on the Progression to Discharge Unit on Ward 9 and they’re called to the ED and the Acute Medical Unit whenever support is required.

This morning, Bex and Layla are with a patient who has been in hospital for a few days. Their friendly chatter puts her at ease. They explain what they’re going to do at every stage and she’s happy to do what they ask.

She tells them about her grandchildren and her great grandchildren as they wheel her towards stairs at the side of EAU. They ask her to climb the flight of stairs while they stand either side of her.

She’s not putting her whole foot on the step, balancing precariously on the ball of her foot. Her arm hangs onto the bannister behind her, putting her off-balance.

With gentle instruction, Bex and Layla correct her positioning. At the top, the patient has a rest in a chair before heading back down.

Although she appears perfectly lucid, she tells them she’s still working. She’s well into her 90s. It’s a red flag suggesting that, regardless of her ability to climb stairs, additional home support may be required.

Bex and Layla admire her nail polish but, all the while, take mental notes of how she manages the stairs. Her notes will document both her progress and her needs.

Bex qualified as a physiotherapist in 2012. She doesn’t hesitate when asked what attracted her into the profession. From the age of four, she was surrounded by physiotherapists after her mum developed Choriocarcinoma – a cancer which develops in the uterus.

Her mother suffered three brain haemorrhages but survived. Although she spent a month in a coma at one stage, she made a full recovery thanks to 10 years of physiotherapy. That’s why Bex is a physiotherapist.

Originally from County Durham and studying at Bradford, Bex came to work in Hull as part of her final rotation before qualification and loved it so much here, she didn’t leave.

“I found the nursing staff and the physio team so friendly and the support from management has been fantastic,” she said. “It might be nowhere near home but it feels like home.”

She works her way through her list on EAU, chatting to patients, assessing not just their physical condition and needs but uncovering levels of confusion which may impact on the level of support they require at home.

One patient is asked to walk a few steps with a frame. Another with obvious and painful swelling on her legs is asked if she can pull herself into a standing position. She can’t. Home is not yet an option.

There’s a mini kitchen along the corridor where people can be assessed to see if they can make themselves a hot drink or heat up food safely in the microwave. There are stairs, walking aids and frames, high stools and wheeled trollies which people with mobility problems can use to carry food from one place to another.

Bex says job satisfaction comes from getting a patient back on their feet.

“It’s a really rewarding job,” she says. “We see people at their most vulnerable and then we get them to a point where they are confident in their own abilities and can go home.”

Back in the Rapid Access Clinic, Charlotte has taken a full history from the patient’s husband, the woman happy to let her husband do the talking.

She thinks a walking aid might help the woman’s balance and also give her more confidence when she’s walking outside. Charlotte asks her to walk across the room with the stick. The woman carries it aloft like a prize.

To the woman, in her late 70s, walking aids are for old people. She won’t be using it, she says.

Her husband sighs. “She does what she wants, always,” he says, an exasperated shrug failing to dim the twinkle in his eye.

Charlotte comes up with a plan. The community-based Falls Team will assess the woman at home. Tests are under way to see if there’s a medical reason for the falls and she will be seen by the team at the new Jean Bishop Centre in east Hull.

The woman is sent home, with the walking stick, another patient spared a hospital admission.

Back at her desk in the heart of majors and halfway through her shift, Charlotte consults her list. There’s always another patient to see.

Sarah Bolton, a Nurse Colposcopist at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, answers questions you might have if you are called for a colposcopy.

What is a colposcopy?

You will be asked to attend Hull Women and Children’s for a colposcopy if your smear test shows abnormal cells in your cervix.

Although these cells are not harmful in their own right and often go away on their own, there’s a risk that they could turn into cervical cancer if left untreated.

A colposcopy examines the cells and determines whether you need treatment to remove them. If you do need treatment, you’ll have it there and then.

Why might I need a colposcopy?

You’ll come for a colposcopy if a smear test has revealed changes in your cervix caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) or if the nurse or doctor carrying out the smear test had concerns about the health of your cervix.

You could also be asked to come to the hospital for a colposcopy if you’ve been experiencing unusual bleeding during or after sex, in between periods or at any time after the menopause.

I usually see women from their late 20s to their early 40s although my youngest patient was a teenager and my oldest was in her 70s.

It’s good to keep in mind that I rarely see cancer during colposcopies. Instead, it’s all about preventing abnormalities progressing to the next stage.

I’ve been asked to come for a colposcopy so does that mean I’ve got cancer?

No. It’s very unlikely that you do. There are other reasons for your cervix to change, such as having a baby or having the coil fitted.

All it means is that further examination is in your best interests. If abnormal cells have been uncovered during a smear test, they won’t get any worse while you wait for your appointment.

Does it mean either my partner or I have been cheating on each other?

No.  Around 80 per cent of people who are sexually active have HPV. Although it is transmitted through sex, you can also catch it through intimate sexual contact so you don’t even need to have full sex to be infected with HPV.

HPV can remain in the body for weeks, years or even since you first started having sex decades before without you even realising.

That means you could have contracted it during a previous relationship and or they could have caught it from another woman, long before you got together, and it’s lain dormant for weeks, months or even years.

It’s only when abnormal cells develop that it becomes an issue.

Isn’t HPV linked to AIDS?

No. HPV is a completely different infection to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and is not linked in any way to AIDS.

What happens when I’m called for a colposcopy?

Five doctors and I conduct colposcopies at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

I see about 55 women at six clinics each week. Appointments last around 30 minutes but the vast majority of that time is spent explaining the procedure to the woman and answering any questions they may have.

I understand people can be anxious so I think it’s important that I take the time to address their concerns and put their minds at ease.

The actual colposcopy lasts around 10 minutes.

I’ll ask you to undress from the waist down, just like you do for a smear test, and lie down in a special chair with padded supports for your legs.

Just like the smear, I’ll use a speculum to insert into your vagina and use a microscope with a light which remains outside your body to examine your cervix.

I’ll apply acetic acid, otherwise known as medicinal vinegar, and any abnormalities will turn white. I’ll then use iodine to mark out the area of abnormality and then take a biopsy.

This involves taking a piece of skin from the cervix. It’ll feel a bit like low-down period pain.

What happens next?

I’ll be able to tell there and then if your changes require treatment. If they do, we’ll do it there and then. No point in hanging around when you’re already there and in position, after all.

The treatment is called a “loop excision of the transformation zone”. Done under local anaesthetic, all you’ll feel is the initial injection which is over in a matter of seconds, just like the injection you’ll get at the dentist.

Once the area is numb, a thin wire loop heated by an electrical current is used to remove abnormal tissue from what’s known as the transformation zone of the cervix, where cervical cancer develops. But if the area has been removed, cancer can’t develop so that’s why we take it away.

What will happen afterwards?

You’re likely to get some bleeding and discharge which will last around three to four weeks. We ask that you only use sanitary towels during this time and avoid tampons, sex and swimming until the bleeding settles.

The tissue will be sent for further tests to make sure the area of your cervix containing abnormal cells has been removed.

Women with abnormal smear tests are ending relationships because they wrongly believe their partner has cheated on them, a specialist nurse has revealed.

Nurse colposcopist Sarah Bolton said some mistakenly suspect their partners have been unfaithful after discovering they have the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

Others fear they have full-blown cancer or a form of HIV because of similarities between the initials despite there being no connection between the two viruses.

Now, Sarah has prepared a list of frequently asked questions to help woman invited for a colposcopy by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as part of the team’s #SmearNotFear campaign.

“My appointments last around 30 minutes and the majority of that time is spent unravelling misconceptions,” said Sarah. “I think it’s important to give the women the facts so they know exactly why they need to come for a colposcopy.

“Some people think they’ve got HIV and lots think they have cancer because they’re convinced they’ve got the symptoms they’ve found on Google.

“I’ve known women to end their relationships because they think their partner has been unfaithful. Others have been accused by their partners of cheating.

“I’ve even had an older woman with HPV who thought it meant her husband, who had died shortly before, had been with someone else without her knowing.”

Hull has high numbers of abnormal smear results thought to be linked to the city’s high smoking rates and because women become sexually active at a younger age than other parts of the country.

The team run a #SmearNotFear campaign on Facebook and Twitter, using the teal colour used to highlight cervical cancer in the same way as pink ribbons highlight breast cancer. The team hand out lollipops at public events to turn tongues teal as part of their campaign to raise awareness and encourage women to attend appointments as part of the National Cervical Screening Programme.

In a survey of patients using the service in June and July, 100 per cent of women who responded said they found the staff polite and helpful, they felt welcome, their privacy and dignity was maintained during their visit and they would recommend the service to their family and friends.

Some smears show up HPV which can cause precancerous cells to develop on the cervix and the women are referred to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital for a colposcopy to prevent the cells mutating into cervical cancer.

HPV is transmitted by sexual intercourse although it can be passed from person to person through intimate contact alone.

However, HPV is a very common infection carried by eight in every 10 people with active sex lives. You can also have it for weeks, months or years without you even realising or experiencing problems.

Sarah said: “You or your partner could have contracted it before you met each other and you wouldn’t know as it can lie dormant for weeks, months and even years.

“It’s only if the virus causes the cells around your cervix to change that it will be picked up during a smear test. However, HPV is not the only reason for the cells to change.

“Having a baby or getting the coil fitted can also cause abnormal cells which require further examination through a colposcopy.”

Sarah Bolton receives her award at the Golden Hearts event earlier this year

Sarah, who became a gynaecology staff nurse in 1994, is one of just 400 Nurse Colposcopists in the country, trained to perform the tests previously only carried out by consultant gynaecologists.

She studied at the University of Huddersfield and gained practical experience at Birmingham Women and Children’s Hospital before qualifying in 2012, working alongside the Hull trust’s team of five consultant gynaecologists.

Sarah’s dedication to her role was recognised in the trust’s Golden Hearts Awards earlier this year when she was named Outstanding Individual of the Year (Nursing and Midwifery).

She sees around 55 women at her six clinics held at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital every week, many of them fearing they have cancer because they’ve been told their smear rest has shown abnormalities.

If the colposcopy does confirm precancerous cells, Sarah is able to remove the abnormality under local anaesthetic to remove the risk of cancer developing in the future.

She said: “It’s very rare that I see women with cervical cancer and what I would say to women is this is all about health prevention.

“It’s essential they come for their appointments to prevent problems developing in the future.

“I always answer any questions to put their minds at ease because I understand how anxious they are feeling.

“But having the correct facts and not leaping to conclusions can make all the difference.”