§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the current average waiting times for women in North Staffordshire district health authority waiting for the results of cervical smear tests.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe current backlog of cervical smears in north Staffordshire is equivalent to 4-5 weeks' work. This is a substantial improvement in the backlog which peaked at three months in January. Two additional part-time screening staff were recruited last summer, and the DHA will continue to send some smears to a private laboratory in Birmingham until waiting times have been further reduced.