§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to reduce the period between(a) the emergence of symptoms and (b) diagnosis, and referral to nephrologists for kidney patients; and what estimate he has made of the costs of such changes. [119334]
§ Ms Rosie Winterton[holding answer 13 June 2003]: Guidelines are being developed by the relevant professional organisations for the referral and early management of people with chronic kidney disease. For people with diabetes, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has published guidelines for regular testing for renal disease in its document, "Management of Type 2 diabetes: Renal disease-prevention and early management".