"Fusion" in cervical cancer screening, as women may be forced to wait months before getting the results

Women may have to wait months to get the results of smear tests, the planned closure of dozens of screening laboratories resulting in a "merger" of the service, experts say.

A government campaign encouraging women to obtain the checks that saved their lives coincided with the decision to close 41 NHS testing laboratories.

Dozens of employees left their positions before reducing the number of installations from 50 to nine, resulting in a "catastrophic" backlog of samples waiting for testing.

Dozens of employees left their positions before reducing the number of installations from 50 to 9, resulting in a "catastrophic" backlog of samples waiting for testing.

Alison Cropper, president of the British Cytopathology Association, said, "The service is falling apart."

She warned that women were anxiously awaiting the results of the smear tests, which should be sent within 14 days.

The number of smear tests has increased significantly since Public Health England launched its first cervical cancer awareness campaign in January.

The numbers revealed that screening rates were at their lowest level, a trend causing embarrbadment caused by "body image". But Dr. Cropper said the government's campaign was launched "at the worst moment in history".

This is the latest in a series of embarrbadments for NHS screening programs due to gaffes, which means that hundreds of thousands of people have not been invited to undergo cancer screening bad or cervix.

The Daily Mail highlighted the tragic case of Julie O'Connor, 49, NHS nurse, who died last month after being told six times by Southmead Hospital in Bristol that she did not have cancer .