§ Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what payment is made to doctors carrying out cervical smear tests (a) for women under 35 years and (b) for women over 35 years.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeGeneral medical practitioners may claim a fee, currently £5.70, for carrying out five-yearly routine cervical smear tests on symptomless women within the priority risk group. These are women aged 35 and over and women who have had three or more pregnancies. The testing of other women will be reflected in the capitation and other fees and allowances payable to all GPs for the provision of general medical services. The screening of women is part of the general responsibility of a GP for the health care of his patients. I am sure that no 375W GP would allow these differences in the arrangements for payment to influence his clinical judgment about the needs of his patients.