§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to increase the level of laboratory diagnostic testing for clinical diagnosis. [122342]
§ Mr. HuttonThe NHS Plan set out the vision for the national health service to offer patients fast and convenient care offered to a consistently high standard. Extra resources for the NHS were announced in the 2002 Budget, with an annual average increase of 7.4 per cent. above inflation—the largest ever sustained increase in NHS funding—over the five years from 2003–04 to 2007–08. As part of this, we are investing £54 million capital and £9.1 million revenue specifically in pathology services over the three year period from 2003–04 to 2005–06.
The Department of Health recognises the vital role of pathology services in the effective treatment and care of patients, and in providing fast and effective diagnoses to support improved access to services. We have set up the pathology modernisation programme to ensure that pathology services provide the appropriate diagnostic support for clinical services.
We are currently revising our draft document for the NHS on modernising pathology services and plan to publish it shortly.