§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish his Department's evaluation of the well women centre at Wythenshawe clinic;
(2) what is his policy on the development of well women clinics and centres;
(3) if he will list for each regional health authority area the number and location of well women clinics set up by health authorities or operating on National Health Service premises;
(4) what evaluation has been conducted by his Department on the role of well women clinics and centres;
(5) if he will issue national guidelines to all health authorities on the establishment and organisation of well women centres to provide a comprehensive medical screening and counselling service for women.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation on the number and location of well women clinics is not held centrally and no evaluation of the role of such facilities, or of specific clinics, has been carried out by the Department. The prevention of ill health and promotion of good health are among the Government's prime objectives and we take every opportunity to encourage the National Health Service to develop these aspects of its services. However, the provision of special facilities such as well women clinics is a matter for individual health authorities to decide in the light of local needs and priorities.