§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinics exist(a) in the UK and (b) in Gloucestershire to treat lymphoedema; what resources are provided for the treatment of that disease in (a) and (b); what training doctors are given in diagnosing and treating the disease; and if he will make a statement. [11059]
§ 29 Ms Blears[holding answerOctober 2001]: Data on the number of lymphoedema clinics across the United Kingdom are not collected centrally. A lymphoedema nurse specialist, funded by Macmillan Cancer Relief, holds weekly clinics in Gloucester and Cheltenham and also provides a domiciliary service.
Lymphoedema care is mainly a nurse-led service and all breast cancer nurses will have lymphoedema management training. Doctors will receive training as part of their general medical training with further specialist training available in the charitable sector. In addition, there are a growing number of Lymphoedema specialist nurses who will have undertaken specialist nurse training which is carried out mainly in the charitable sector by organisations such as Macmillan Cancer Relief and Marie Curie Cancer Care. This is very much a nurse-led service and specialist nurses are recommended both in "Improving Outcomes Guidance" and the national cancer plan as being a vital part of the multidisciplinary team.
NICE are developing guidance on supportive care which will include guidance on the support of patients with lymphoedema.