Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers

HC Deb 01 December 1987 vol 123 cc558-9W

Mr. French

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the work of medical laboratory scientific officers with regard to preventive health programmes and the battle against AIDS.

Mr. Newton

The laboratory work of medical laboratory scientific officers contributes to preventive health programmes such as rubella screening, cervical

screening and the early detection of inborn errors of metabolism. Medical laboratory scientific officers, along with their colleagues, contribute to the battle against AIDS via their work on the diagnosis of HIV infection and its associated complications. They also have a role within the national blood transfusion services in the routine testing of over 2 million blood donations each year for evidence of HIV and other infections.