§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the provision of cervical smear tests in each health area in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. NeedhamCervical smears are tested at three centres in Northern Ireland. Some of the smears taken in the Western board area are tested at the Altnagelvin hospital laboratory. The remainder and all smears taken in the Northern, Southern and Eastern board areas are processed by the Eastern board. Most routine screening smears for cervical cancer are tested at the Belfast city hospital laboratory. The remaining screening smears, together with diagnostic smears, are processed at the Royal Victoria hospital laboratory.
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement explaining the reasons for the delay in re-starting smear tests in Northen Ireland and outlining what measures aimed at improving provisions of such tests have been taken during this delay.
§ Mr. NeedhamAn eight-week moratorium was applied from the beginning of 1986—not on the testing of smears but on the taking of routine screening smears. The testing of cervical smears taken up to the end of December 1985 has not ceased at any time. The moratorium on taking of routine smears has been extended to the end of April as the Eastern board was unable, during the original eight-week period, to reduce the backlog to a manageable level. Additional funds have been made available to cover the cost of overtime working and for the recruitment of extra laboratory staff to process smears.
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement outlining what financial, technical, medical staff, clerical, publicity and other resources are to be given to the provision of smear tests in Northern Ireland, indicating how these commitments compare with provision prior to the suspension of tests.
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§ Mr. NeedhamArrangements are being made to provide additional laboratory accommodation in the Northern, Southern and Eastern board areas. Funds have already been allocated for additional consultants who will be involved in processing cervical screening smears. Extra medical laboratory scientific staff have been recruited. A further £50,000 has been provided for improvements to the service in the coming financial years.
Work is continuing to assess the full financial, computer and staffing implications of having in place by 1988 a comprehensive computerised call and recall system, together with adequate staffing and laboratory back-up, for cervical cancer screening. Additional health education and publicity will be provided as necessary to ensure maximum use of the expanded service, which should about double the present capacity.
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women are presently on the waiting list for smear tests in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. NeedhamOn 28 February there were 9,500 women in Northern Ireland waiting for the results of of tests on smears already taken. No list is kept of women waiting to have smears taken.
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate how long it will take to work through the backlog of smear tests which has built up before and during the suspension, and outlining what special measures are being taken to facilitate the processing of the backlog of cases.
§ Mr. NeedhamIt is estimated that the current backlog of smears awaiting testing should be cleared by the end of April. Additional laboratory staff are being recruited to enable the service to deal with a greater number of smears.