Is three years too long?

Don't you just love being a girl? No nor me!! LOL
After David was born i was sterilised (health reasons and the fact that if i hadn't been i would be w-a-a-a-y ahead of even Octamom!!). Prior to his birth we lost a child during pregnancy and i also had huge cysts on my ovaries! Well nine years, four operations and very few *star* weeks later my Dr. is sending me for a scan to see whats going on this time LOL!
So i asked, if there is a problem can i have said ovary removed? PLEASE! He has told me he would recommend it! yipee! I know i am (oddly) too young to have the whole lot whacked out but this is a good starting point! All this because i went for a smear (*yuk i know*) on Tuesday and the nurse said i had to go see him!
She then said she would see me for my next smear in three...YES THREE years! I frowned and said no i will see you next year!
When she asked why i prefer (such a bad choice of word!) to go annually, i told her that the rest of europe go annually. My German Dr. told me, "the day after a clear result your body could start making cancerous cells, waiting three - five years for a smear is not giving yourself much of a chance to fight it". The nurse was amazed that europe do it like this! I was amazed that the UK don't!
While it is not the most fun i will ever have with no trousers on, it might just save my life one day.
So readers i got to thinking..how often do you go in your country? Is it enough? or is it just the penny pinching UK government/ NHS putting us gals at higher risk?