§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those boards which are planned to have(a) basic screening units and (b) specialist assessment teams as part of the breast cancer screening programme; and if he will give the latest estimates when each team and each unit will commence service.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythBasic screening units will be provided for all boards in Scotland by a mixture of static 41W and mobile units, some shared between boards. On the basis of present plans specialist assessment will be available in Lothian, Greater Glasgow, Grampian, Tayside and Ayrshire and Arran health board areas. Lothian and Greater Glasgow are already providing basic screening and assessment services. Discussions are continuing with health boards for the implementation of the whole programme by March 1991.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those boards which are planned to have(a) mobile screening units and (b) static screening units.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythOn the basis of present plans the information is as follows:
(a) Health boards with mobile screening units
- Argyll and Clyde
- Ayrshire and Arran
- Grampian
- Greater Glasgow
- Highland
- Lanarkshire
- Lothian
- Tayside
(b) Health boards with static screening units
- Ayrshire and Arran
- Forth Valley
- Grampian
- Greater Glasgow
- Lothian
- Tayside
A basic screening service will be available in all health board areas although some boards will share a mobile service with neighbouring boards.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the measures being taken to adapt existing computerised call/recall cervical cancer screening programmes to accommodate the breast cancer screening programme.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythBecause of differences in the age range of women involved and in the screening intervals we are not adapting the computerised cervical cancer call and recall system to accommodate the breast cancer screening programme in Scotland. We are developing a new computer programme, with the assistance of ICL, for the breast cancer screening call and recall and office systems.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those boards where women are already being called by a computerised system for breast cancer screening; and if he will give the age bands of the women being called.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe programme in Lothian health board is currently being run on an existing computer programme which was developed with Edinburgh university during the research into the feasibility of introducing nationwide screening. This will be subsumed early next year by the national computer programme currently being developed. Women in the age range 50 to 64 are being called in Lothian.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about measures currently being taken to train staff to work in specialist assessment teams.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythWe have established a national training centre in Edinburgh which is charged with the responsibility for training staff from all the disciplines42W concerned with breast cancer screening and assessment. One course was held in September 1988 and two more are planned for March and September 1989. It is intended to have courses to link in with units being brought into operation.