§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she has made in developing a comprehensive research and development strategy for the national health service.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe national health service research and development strategy was launched in April 1991. "Research for Health", published in June 1993 under press release H93/824, sets out the evolution of the programme and progress to that date. Copies of the press release are available in the Library.
Since then the Central Research and Development Committee has identified NHS R and D priorities in three further areas which cover physical and complex disabilities, the interface between primary and secondary care, and health technology assessment. R and D priorities in the areas of cancer services, diabetes, dentistry and mother and child health are currently being identified. Work has been commissioned in mental health and cardiovascular disease and stroke, and programmes of work in HTA, physical and complex disabilities and the primary/secondary care interface are now being developed. The first project in the mental health R and D programme was recently completed.
For the first time, NHS research projects are being registered on a national basis, and two complementary centres have been established to provide research evidence 442W systematically to the service. These will support the R and D strategy in the new NHS as it continues to provide the basis for improvements in the approach to health care adopted by NHS managers, health professionals and those using the service.