§ Mr. A. J. Williamsasked the Minister of Health (1) how many specially trained staff would be needed to provide regular tests for cervical cancer in the town of Swansea;
(2) how many personnel specially trained in the detection of cervical cancer are currently available on the staffs of Swansea hospitals; and what increase in these specialists is envisaged in the next five years;
(3) how many tests for cervical cancer the specially trained staff at Swansea hospitals could carry out in the course of one year;
(4) what facilities will be available in the new Swansea Hospital building for the detection of cervical cancer;
(5) how much space cervical cancer test facilities would require to provide a routine test service for Swansea.
§ Mr. LoughlinHospital exfoliative cytology facilities are being developed as part of the hospital pathology services, and the Welsh Hospital Board will closely watch the needs for further expansion at Swansea. Already one pathologist and one technician on the staffs of the Swansea hospitals have received special training and, under present allocations of work, can undertake between 2,500 and 3,000 examinations per annum. On the latest calculation the equivalent of between one and two whole-time technicians would be required to provide regular tests for women aged 35 and over in the town of Swansea. Additional laboratory space will be provided as necessary in existing hospitals and the needs of this service will be taken into account in the planning of the new hospital at Singleton Park.