HC Deb 16 January 1986 vol 89 cc616-7W
Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what expenditure will be incurred during the current year and for 1986–87, by each health authority in Wales, on the cervical smear programme;

(2) what was the total expenditure incurred by the National Health Service on its cervical smear programme, by health authority, in Wales, for each of the last five years.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

The information is not available centrally.

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the extent to which the current level of funding of the cervical smear programme in each of the area health authorities in Wales for the current year admits of the completion of the service, tests and follow-up reporting to all patients requesting or referred by their general practitioners for such tests.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

The level of funding for this service is essentially a matter for the individual health authorities to determine in the light of other demands on their resources.

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the total expenditure incurred on the cervical smear programme in Mid Glamorgan is accounted for by the laboratory testing of smears; and which centres are used for tests conducted for each of the districts within the Mid Glamorgan area health authority.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Information in respect of expenditure on the cervical smear programme is not available centrally. Pathology laboratories at the following hospitals in Mid Glamorgan conducted cervical cytology tests during 1984: Prince Charles, East Glamorgan general and Bridgend general.

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements exist in each of the Welsh health authorities for follow-up reporting of results to National Health Service patients who have received cervical smear tests.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Responsibility for the administration of this service lies with the health authorities. The report of the joint NHS-Welsh Office working party which was published last July recommended certain follow-up action and safeguards that should be

Health district/Management Unit Number of Tests
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
Mid Glamorgan
Ogwr 7,002 6,688 6,274 6,974 8,317
Taff-Ely 8,606 9,678 9,277 10,948 11,298
Rhondda Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
Merthyr Cynon 6,817 7,631 6,830 7,751 10,836
Rhymney Valley Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
Total 22,425 23,997 22,381 25,673 30,451
Clwyd 19,390 20,435 19,144 20,821 22,304
East Dyfed 17,650 18,920 17,974 19,372 16,319
Pembrokeshire∗ .. .. Nil Nil Nil
Gwent 22,506 23,569 23,241 25,112 27,828
Gwynedd 8,763 9,825 9,684 10,451 12,791
Powys Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
South Glamorgan 28,877 32,036 30,724 31,920 38,632
West Glamorgan 19,495 20,536 18,882 21,026 23,055
Wales 139,106 149,318 142,030 154,375 171,380

* Figures included with East Dyfed for 1980 and 1981.