Published on: 20th March 2025
A suite of films will support Greater Manchester people who are autistic or have a learning disability to access potentially life-saving cervical cancer screening.
Believed to the first of their kind in the country, the films have been made by autistic people or those with a learning disability for their peers – with a breadth of real-life experiences shaping every stage of development.
Autistic people and those with a learning disability often experience poorer health and shorter life expectancy compared to the general population. They also face barriers accessing cancer screening programmes, leading to lower uptake. Cervical screening non-attendance is directly linked to an increased risk of cancer.
After being awarded just over £143,000 by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, a range of partners came together to develop six bite-size accessible films about cervical cancer screening and how the HPV vaccine can reduce the risk of cancer.
We were one of the partners, working alongside Pathways Associates, Rochdale Gateway Leisure, People First Tameside, The University of Manchester, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Greater Manchester.
Lizardfish, a film company with experience of working with autistic people and those with a learning disability, was appointed and four women who are autistic and/or have a learning disability wrote the scripts and starred in the films.
The scripts were checked by academics and professionals for accuracy and tested with Pathway Associate's healthy living group, Rochdale Gateway Leisure’s Aashiyana Carers Group, members of People First Tameside and Advocacy focus autistic women’s group.
Special launch event
After two years of development, the films were launched at a special screening on Wednesday 19 March, at Manchester’s Ducie Street Mini Cini.
The films aim to support choice and decision-making about immunisation and screening and to prepare people mentally and practically. They cover a variety of topics, including the importance of early detection, what screening entails, practical tips to make the process easier and what to expect after the test.
One video is aimed at parents, focusing on the importance of allowing their child to have the HPV vaccine and one is aimed at health professionals explaining why people with a learning disability might not access screening and offering tips on supporting and communicating with them.
Change the story
Leeanne McKew, 32, from Tameside is a member of People First Tameside (pictured top left, on the left) and one of the women who developed and starred in the films. She said: “I think the films will be really helpful for women who are unsure about screening. Having information helps reduce anxiety.
“I enjoyed everything about the project, including coming up with ideas and hearing other ideas, and the filming was fun. It was good we could film in a real clinic, as people can see what the environment is really like.
“My advice to others is to get it done, it’s worth it. And if you’re worried, talk to a friend or family and see if they can come with you.
“If we can get it right for autistic people and those with a learning disability, we can get it right for everyone. If people want to change the story, they need to listen to us, so projects like this are really important.”
Ali Jones, director of early diagnosis at the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “Uptake of cervical screening is 30% for people with a learning disability, versus 70% for people without.
“Evidence shows films are a really effective way to communicate health information to people with a learning disability. We were delighted to fund this important piece of work via our early diagnosis innovation fund, supporting local projects with a focus on early cancer diagnosis.
Dr Janine Owens is a research fellow at Manchester University and project lead. She said: “Having worked on including people in choices and decisions about their health for 25 years, I feel the videos are a valuable way of enabling a marginalised group to make their own choice about cervical screening, with support. The whole process was hugely enjoyable from start to finish. This is down to our co-producers and partners who challenged us to think in alternative ways.”
Carol Lonergan, who is our learning disability health inequalities lead, featured in some of the films. She said: “Clear, accessible information empowers people to make informed decisions about their health. By increasing uptake, we can ensure more women receive early detection and treatment if needed.
“Being in the films was outside my comfort zone, but I want to do everything I can to make sure autistic people and those with a learning disability are supported to live longer, healthier lives.”
Next steps
The films have been tested with key partners, with positive feedback. They’ll be available online soon and shared with a range of organisations and professionals who support autistic people or those with a learning disability.
They’ll also be embedded into the GP annual health check toolkit and a new reasonably adjusted cervical screening pathway which will be piloted soon.