§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what were the reasons in each case why those health authorities listed in his reply of 6 November 1986, Official Report, columns 580–83, as planning to bring call and recall screening systems into operation by 31 March 1986 failed to do so;
(2) in which health authorities the implementation of call and recall cervical cancer screening has been delayed by concern about the capacity of pathology laboratories to cope with the additional smears or of surgical capacity to deal with cases which need treatment;
(3) on what dates those health authorities listed in his reply of 6 March 1986, Official Report, columns 580–83, as bringing call and recall screening systems into operation by 31 March did so, or plan to do so, respectively;
(4) on what dates he expects each of those health authorities listed on 6 March 1986, Official Report, columns 580–83, as planning to bring call and recall screening systems into operation by 31 March 1988, will actually do so.
§ Mrs. CurrieHealth authorities have been asked to arrange with family practitioner committees to implement
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Health visitors per 1,000 elderly population (aged 65+)123 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 51984 1985 England4 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.4 Northern Regional Health Authority 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.5 Yorkshire Regional Health Authority 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.4 Trent Regional Health Authority 1.2 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 computerised call and recall systems for cervical cancer screening no later than 31 March 1988. Within this timetable the dates on which individual systems become operational is a matter for local planning.
My right hon. Friend has asked Sir Roy Griffiths, deputy chairman of the National Health Service management board, to lead a small team to oversee the implementation of the Government's policy on cervical and breast cancer screening.
Sir Roy and his team are working with health authorities and family practitioner committees to make sure they have viable plans and that the remaining districts implement those by 31 March 1988. Sir Roy will make regular reports to my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what additional pathology laboratory capacity has been provided to cope with the extra smears resulting from the introduction of call and recall cervical cancer screening.
§ Mrs. CurrieHealth authorities have been requited to give priority to ensuring that laboratories can meet demand from cervical cancer screening programmes and avoid backlogs. Many districts have been recruiting and training additional laboratory staff. Detailed information on laboratory capacity is not held centrally.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the largest current delay in each health region known to his Department in providing cervical smears through pathology laboratories;
(2) in which health authorities, which have introduced computerised cervical cancer call and recall screening, the increase in the number of women covered is being limited by the need for more computer capacity than was originally provided.
§ Mrs. CurrieI shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.