§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines have been issued by her Department to general practitioners concerning the identification of the symptoms, possible causes and treatment of cases of organophosphate poisoning;
(2) if she will place a copy of the updated version of "Pesticide Poisoning, Notes for the Guidance of Medical Practitioners", in the Library.
§ Mr. SackvilleGuidance on diagnosis and treatment of acute poisoning by organophosphate (OP) pesticides was included in the Department of Health book "Pesticide Poisoning: notes for the guidance of medical practitioners" which, at the time of publication, was provided to all doctors in general practice and to all hospital accident and emergency departments.
More recently, the Government's chief medical officers wrote in 1991 to all doctors in the United Kingdom about reporting of pesticide incidents and advised them that advice on poisoning was available from the Employment Medical Advisory Service and from the national poisons information service centres. Further advice on the subject by the Department of Health and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is soon to be sent out to all general practitioners. A copy of the Department of Health handbook and the letter (PL/CMO(91)5) are available in the Library.