HC Deb 06 February 1967 vol 740 cc1100-1
33. Mrs. Joyce Butler

asked the Minister of Health if he will now clarify the position regarding the qualifications required by technical aides employed in cyto-screening, in view of the importance of this question in the prevention of cervical cancer.

The Minister of Health (Mr. Kenneth Robinson)

I advised hospital authorities in October last that examination of cervical smears should normally be undertaken only by medical laboratory technicians or student or junior medical laboratory technicians specially trained in cytology. My Department will advise in individual cases where a hospital wishes to employ someone who has other appropriate qualifications and laboratory experience.

Mrs. Butler

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this lack of general guidance to medical officers of health is preventing some 50 of them from expanding their facilities and causing others to soft-pedal their appeals to women to act as technical aides—because there are a number of women with B.Sc. degrees and other high qualifications who have been disqualified from acting as technical aides—and that they would welcome some general guidance on the point?

Mr. Robinson

My general guidance is of the limited kind that was reflected in the first half of my original Answer. I am advised that employment of persons without the necessary technical training would necessitate re-examination of all slides as a check on reliability and that this would hinder the development of the full routine screening service.

Mr. Lubbock

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the progress of cytology is being held up not so much by lack of technically trained personnel as by the unwillingness of certain women to come forward and be screened? What steps is the Ministry taking to make sure that the widest possible publicity is given to the services now available?

Mr. Robinson

I would not accept the hon. Gentleman's assertion as a general statement. I think that it is true in one or two areas, but I believe that in most cases it is still lack of sufficient facilities for examining the smears. I have asked local authorities to co-ordinate publicity of the kind that the hon. Gentleman has asked for with the availability of these services.