LAURA* spends each day planning and organising aspects of her life that others simply take for granted.

She can’t just hop in the shower, pop upstairs when she forgets something or take a walk from one end of a large shopping centre to the other without support.

The 28-year-old works, runs her home and gets through her day like everyone else but it takes that bit more effort because Laura, who asked not to be named, lives with bilateral hip dysplasia.

It’s a condition, she jokes, which is commonly found in small dogs where the hip socket doesn’t fully cover the ball portion of the upper thighbone.

It can be painful, uncomfortable and make some movements impossible, but it doesn’t stop her as she admits she “doesn’t know anything else” having had the condition her whole life.

Laura knows she has to make allowances for her body to help it do things many don’t think twice about, yet she wasn’t prepared for just how difficult a smear test would be.

“There wasn’t any guidance, or support given,” Laura told the Glasgow Times, “I’m fairly used to it because very few people think about disabled people and their needs.”

“Obviously, though, I thought the NHS would be equipped for it since they’re the very people who deal with these conditions day in, day out.”

Sadly, for Laura, that wasn’t the case when she attended her first cervical screening appointment shortly after her 20th birthday.

There the nurse asked her to lay on the bed and “bring her feet to her bum, dropping her knees to the side” – a common position for the exam to be carried out in, but one Laura simply cannot do.

She said: “She had no idea I was disabled so I told her I couldn’t get into that position and explained why but she was completely shocked.

“You could tell she wasn’t sure what to do and I had no experience of it so I wasn’t sure what I needed to do or what kind of position I needed to be in.

“I asked her to let me get comfortable, but it was really difficult, and she ended up just, kind of, pushing the speculum in and it was quite painful. Traumatic, really.”

Laura’s results came back abnormal, and she was referred to the clinic at Stobhill Hospital for a colposcopy.

After her initial experience, she was worried about going through another exam and she isn’t alone.

As previously reported in the Glasgow Times Don’t Fear the Smear campaign, research has found disabled women are among the least likely to attend routine appointments.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust has found lack of awareness and support for women with both physical and learning disabilities has created a roadblock for those in need of the examination.

Samantha Dixon, CEO at Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, said: "It should not be the case that women with a physical disability face additional barriers to a potentially lifesaving test. No one should face stigma or have to fight for access – cervical screening is already not always easy.

"Health boards and GP surgeries must work together to ensure every woman with a physical disability can access screening in a way that is appropriate for her."

Thankfully for Laura, who grew up in Glasgow before moving to Renfrewshire, her next experience was much better as the hospital was better equipped with a rotating chair and stirrups.

“It was so much easier because I wasn’t having to contort into strange positions so I asked if I could carry on having all my smears there in the future,” she said.

“The consultant was onboard but, when I told my GP, he said I’d have to try it there first and I could ask to go to the hospital if that ‘failed’.

“When I had my first smear, I felt like such an inconvenience but by this point, I was adamant and persisted, so he finally agreed. I’m now on the waiting list for Stobhill – you have to advocate for yourself.”

A spokesperson for NHSGGC said: “While we cannot discuss individuals, we’re sorry to hear this patient was unhappy with their experience and would encourage them to get in touch with us to discuss any queries or concerns they may have.

“In line with national policy, patients are assessed by primary care teams who identify and refer those with additional medical needs to the specialist smear clinic at Stobhill Hospital, where appropriate. “Across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde we continue to urge anyone who is due a cervical smear to come forward. This is the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer and is crucial in helping us treat it as quickly as possible.”

Support Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and help make cervical cancer a thing of the past. If you have questions or need to talk, call their Helpline for information or support: 0808 802 8000