How we research and write our information

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s health information aims to provide clear, accurate and accessible information about cervical health, including human papillomavirus (HPV), cell changes (abnormal cells) and cervical cancer.

We are a proud member of the Patient Information Forum (PIF), an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting individuals and organisations to provide high-quality, clearly communicated, evidence-based information.

We are grateful to the many healthcare professionals and members of the public who offer their time and expertise to help develop our information.

If you would like to use our information for your own purpose, please read our editorial policy > 

Coronavirus update

The coronavirus pandemic means trustworthy, accurate information is now needed more than ever. We continue to use valid evidence sources, and involve expert and user reviewers in developing our information. Due to demand, information may be reviewed up to 2 weeks after publication to allow us to quickly get content to those who need it. All webpages that have been reviewed will include the line 'Thank you to all the experts and service users who have contributed to this information' under the thanks and references heading.

Researching our information

Before writing our information, we complete a comprehensive literature search. We focus on UK or European medical information sources and guidelines, as practice can differ between countries. We also look at other reputable websites, such as the NHS site, and resources to identify gaps or areas of best practice. 

Read our website linking policy >

We only use current, authoritative, relevant, and trustworthy evidence sources, including: 

• UK or European current health and cancer guidelines – such as the European Society of Gynecology (ESG), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
• Medical practice guidelines published by relevant UK medical bodies – such as the British Association of Surgical Oncology (BASO), the British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (BSCCP), and the Royal Colleges.
• Trusted reports – such as those from UK Public Health organisations and the World Health Organisation (WHO). 
• Peer reviewed literature – via searches on PubMed and NICE Evidence.

Where there is not a sufficient body of evidence, for example when researching rarer types of cervical cancer, we consider other available evidence.

We use checklists developed by the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) when assessing the reliability of the evidence.

Read more about CASP >

Referencing

Each information page has an expandable box at the bottom for thanks and references. These show the references for the information on that specific page.

We only list the most relevant guidelines on each page. If more references were used to produce the information, we include the following: ‘We write our information based on literature searches and expert review. For more information about all the references we used, please contact info@jostrust.org.uk.

Writing our information

Our information is written by our Health Information team who are experienced in producing accurate and accessible information. The team is trained to meet the Plain English standard and Information Standard principles. 

No member of our Health Information team is permitted to provide favoured treatment to any partner organisation, and all team members must fully disclose any financial or other interests they may have in any healthcare-related companies or organisations. 

User review

Our information is reviewed by people affected by cell changes or cervical cancer, or those with experience relevant to the topic, to make sure it is as relevant and accessible as possible.

Read more about our Jo’s Voices user reviewer volunteers >

Expert review

Our information is reviewed by healthcare professionals, as well as non-medical professionals who are experts in their field, to ensure that it is accurate and reflects the best evidence available. 

We use at least two expert reviewers for each piece of information to ensure it is objective, impartial and even-handed. Where views differ or no scientific consensus can be found, our information reflects all significant opinions and states the uncertainty clearly.

Internal review

Our information is approved by Kate Sanger, our Head of Communications, Policy and Public Affairs, or Rebecca Shoosmith, Head of Support Services and Deputy Chief Executive, to ensure it meets the Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s branding, editorial and tone guidelines. 

Awards and recognition

We have been recognised by the British Medical Association (BMA), Plain English Campaign, and Quality in Care Programme for our information. Most recently, we were awarded First Prize in Screening for our resources for survivors of sexual violence at the BMA 2019 Patient Information Awards.

Read more about our awards > 

Contact us

If you have any feedback on our health information, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us via email at info@jostrust.org.uk.