§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 24 May,Official Report, columns 451–52, about the programme of reviewing cervical smear slides from Inverclyde royal infirmary, Greenock, what recent information he has concerning the tracing of women who have moved from the hospital's catchment area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 10 June 1993]: The women requiring to be traced fall into two categories:
- 1. Those who are known, through the Community Health Index, to have moved out of the area.
- 2. Those whose recorded address on the Community Health Index suggest that they still live in the area, but whose letters sent to those addresses have been returned by the postal authorities as "gone away" or "not known".
The Argyll and Clyde health board is receiving prompt assistance from primary care departments, family health services authorities and from individual general practitioners. Considerable help in tracing women married to United States naval personnel continues to be given by the United States naval authorities. Similar assistance is also being given in relation to Her Majesty's forces wives by the British military authorities.
Where the re-examination exercise has resulted in a "non-negative report", the most strenuous efforts are being made to contact each woman involved to ensure that the necessary follow-up action can be taken.