Season 1, Episode 7 Details:
Screening, Immunisation and Prevention Support with Dr Helen Platts and Paul Bolton
Listen to the episode:
Episode Overview:
This episode goes behind the scenes of prevention in the NHS, as GP and Cancer Specialist Dr Helen Platts and Clinical Services Manager (Dorset Vaccine Programme) Paul Bolton unpack how vaccines, screening and early checks quietly save lives. Together they tackle myths, cultural barriers and misinformation, and share clear, practical advice on which invitations to prioritise and how to take control of your own health.
Detailed Episode Show Notes:
“If you’re invited for screening and you’re nervous or not sure what it means, ask – we’d much rather you asked us than ignored the letter.”
When it comes to preventing common health challenges for women, learning from the right source of knowledge could literally save lives.
In this episode of “Speaking of Women’s Health,” our hosts Marianne and Anjali go behind the scenes of cancer prevention with Dr. Helen Platts, a GP and Cancer Specialist, and Paul Bolton, the NHS Clinical Service Manager for the Integrated Vaccine Service.
Their candid conversation reveals the strategic efforts in Dorset that are catching issues early and saving lives, as well as their mission to reach underserved communities with knowledge and support.
Tune in to discover more about the screening programmes that benefit us most, new, accessible developments like home self-sampling kits, and how you can become a powerful advocate for your own long-term health.
👤Guest Profiles:
Dr Helen Platts –
- GP in Dorset
- GP Advisor, Wessex Cancer Alliance
Paul Bolton –
- Clinical Services Manager
- Dorset Vaccine Programme
⏱️ Chapters:
[0:00] – Introductions, and Why Immunisation Matters
[9:20] – Information, Culture, and Gaps in Awareness
[18:35] – Barriers to Uptake in Screening and Prevention
[29:55] – Myths, Culture and Vaccine Hesitancy
[34:10] – Inequalities and Making Screening Work for Real Lives
[42:00] – New Technologies and Future Projects
🔑Key Themes:
- Vaccines and Screening Working Together as Lifesaving Tools
- Inequities in Uptake of Support
- Battling Myths and Misinformation
- Empowering People to Ask Questions and Take Action
📖 Resources Mentioned:
- Women’s Health Support in Dorset: https://ourdorset.org.uk/women/
- Dorset Cancer Screening Information: https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services-and-sites/mental-health-and-learning-disabilities/learning-disabilities/accessible-information/cancer-screening
- Wessex Cancer Alliance: https://wessexcanceralliance.nhs.uk/
🔗 Connect with us:
Dr Helen Platts, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-helen-platts-944152240/
Paul Bolton, LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-bolton-b034a23a/
Marianne Storey, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-storey-46938435/
Anjali Mavi, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjali-mavi-66a5a86/
Dorset Women CIC Website: https://dorsetwomen.org.uk/
Women’s Health Support in Dorset: https://ourdorset.org.uk/women
🎯 Action Items for Listeners:
- Accept invites for screening, even if you have no symptoms.
- Ask if you (or your child) are up to date with vaccines.
- Ask questions to help calm nerves around the screening process.
- Visit the Our Dorset Women’s Health website for evidence-based health information.
- Share the podcast and website with other women in the community.
- Consider how to advocate for women’s health in your local area.
- Encourage male family members and partners to learn about women’s health issues.
💡 Top Quotes:
5:30 – Paul Bolton:
“If everybody who’s up for a vaccine gets a vaccine, then we’re doing our bit to protect the rest of the population.”
7:50 – Dr Helen Platts:
“If we can vaccinate against a virus… we then can prevent that virus causing the pre‑cancerous changes…and then the cancer eventually.”
23:20 – Paul Bolton:
“What we learned by speaking to state schools was every school organises vaccinations completely differently. So the information that you give has got to be extraordinarily different when you take it in a different way. So it really taught us that actually, we need a bespoke approach.”
26:05 – Paul Bolton:
“It would be nice to have a lovely digital tool where you put in your name and NHS number and it tells you what you should have had – but the NHS isn’t there yet.”
32:30 – Dr Helen Platts:
“We have so much information at our fingertips now. The issue is, it’s not always the right information. You can go on the internet, and if you’re worried about something, it will feed your worry and your anxiety.”
48:30 – Dr Helen Platts:
“Screening is for people who don’t have symptoms… if you have any symptoms, you don’t need screening – you need to see a GP.”
52:30 – Dr Helen Platts:
“If you’re invited for screening and you’re nervous or not sure what it means, ask – we’d much rather you asked us than ignored the letter.”
Transcript: Find the full transcript here. Please note, these notes are AI generated.