§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures have been taken by his Department to ensure that all children born with spinal curvature are screened for non-spontaneously resolving scoliosis within two to three months of birth in all Welsh health authority areas.
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§ Mr. Grist[holding answer 15 January 1988]: Guidance on the medical examination of the new born baby and the care of babies born with a malformation or risk of handicap, and their subsequent follow-up, has been published in the third report of the maternity services advisory committee to the Secretaries of State for Social Services and for Wales.
The report, published in 1985, was endorsed by the perinatal mortality initiative survey group in its report to the Secretary of State for Wales in 1986. Both reports were distributed to general managers of district health authorities, administrators of family practitioner committees, secretaries of community health councils and health professionals working in the maternity and neonatal services. The Department issued a circular, WHC(86)69, in December 1986 to all health authorities in Wales asking them to review their service provision and examine their performance in the light of the guidance in these two reports. Copies of the two reports are available in the Library. A copy of the circular will be placed in the Library of the House.