§ 36. Mr. Winnickasked the Minister of Health how long he expects to take to reach a decision on the value of the Rotherham scheme of having a full-scale local health week.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonMedical officers of my Department are discussing with the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherham 1222 the lessons to be learnt from this work, and his plans for other tests to be used in another health week this autumn. In the course of these discussions we hope to reach a considered view on the value of such weeks.
§ Mr. WinnickWould not my hon. Friend agree that Rotherham's scheme was an excellent one? Will he give a promise that he will try to encourage other local authorities to follow suit in the next few months?
§ Mr. RobinsonI do not wish to imply that the health weeks in Rotherham have not found undetected disease in a number of people, but I am not satisfied, on present evidence, that this method of detecting disease should be recommended to health authorities generally.
§ Mr. O'MalleyIs the Minister aware of the acute dismay which has been felt in all sections of my constituency as a result of his previous Answer on this subject? Is he further aware that many people feel that this is a curious way to recognise all of the hard work and cooperation which has gone on within the medical profession in Rotherham to set this up? Would he not agree that many of the tests already undertaken in these screening clinics are widely accepted in the medical profession?
§ Mr. RobinsonI described the scheme as experimental. I agree that it is important to find the best and most economical methods of the early detection of disease. There is a need for experiment in this direction, but I hope that my hon. Friend will accept from the fact that my Department is discussing this matter with the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherham, that we are taking this very seriously.
§ Mr. O'MalleyIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.