The self-swab kits are not the same as a traditional smear test, which involves a nurse or doctor using an instrument called a speculum to gently open the vagina before using a small brush to take a sample of cells from the cervix.

Instead, the at-home kits will contain a vaginal swab that looks similar to a long cotton bud. Users will collect a sample of their cervical cells by inserting the swab into their vagina, before sending the swab to a lab for testing using a freepost envelope or box also included in the kit.

If HPV (an extremely common virus that causes 99% of cervical cancer cases) is detected, users will then be invited to attend their GP practice for a traditional smear test as a follow-up.

Some women trialling at-home kits in other countries have compared the experience to using a tampon, reports BBC News. A report in the British Medical Journal also cites evidence showing that “self-collected samples are as accurate as clinician collected samples”.

At-home smear tests: everything you need to know about the new DIY kits