§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what support his Department has given to Atlas in order that it may give information and advice to back pain sufferers.
§ Sir George YoungAtlas has not sought any support from the Department. It is open to Atlas as a voluntary organisation to seek assistance from the Department under the provisions of section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he is taking to promote self-care of acute back pain;
(2) if he has taken measures to encourage patients with acute back pain to take responsibility for self-care.
§ Sir George YoungIt is primarily the clinical responsibility of their doctors to advise patients on self-care of back pain if they seek National Health Service treatment. Helpful advice is however given by the Health Education Council and by interested voluntary organisations.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he accepts the statement of the Department of Health and Social Security working group on back pain that action to improve the present situation should command high priority;
(2) what action he proposes to take to ensure there is increased and sustained 205W support for research into the nature, causes and treatment of back pain and for comparative trials of available forms of therapy including heterodox treatment;
(3) what action he has taken and proposes to take on the recommendation of the working group on back pain;
(4) what action he has taken on recommendations in paragraph 10.10 of the report of the working group on back pain.
§ Sir George YoungResearch into the causes of and treatments for back pain is already given high priority by the Department. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that adequate resources are available to the Department and to the Medical Research Council for support to be given to any soundly based research proposals in this field, including comparative studies involving heterodox therapies. Most of the working party's recommendations are suggestions for further study and he hopes that the report will stimulate research proposals. Other recommendations are under consideration.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to improve the training of and dissemination to doctors and others involved with the treatment and management of patients with back pain.
§ Sir George YoungThe content of postgraduate medical education and of the training of other professions concerned with the treatment of back pain is the responsibility of the professions themselves.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of provision for back pain sufferers.
§ Sir George YoungNo, but until research has revealed more precisely what are the causes of back pain and what are the most effective treatments for it, it is difficult for health authorities to plan confidently for improvements in services.