§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 15 January,Official Report, column 336, if he will make it his policy that health authorities communicate directly with all women over 65 years of age who have previously received breast screening to inform them of their rights to continued screening. [17969]
§ Mr. HoramIt is already policy that health authorities inform all women of 65 years of age who have previously received breast screening of their right to continued 65W screening. Screening units are reminded by the national health service screening programme to encourage women to continue to come for three-yearly screening, and this is emphasised in screening and well woman literature available in GP surgeries, clinics and screening centres.
§ Mr. Charles WardleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if all mammography screening facilities in the United Kingdom have to obtain certification to a quality assurance standard; and what this standard is based on. [18329]
§ Mr. HoramNo. All mammographic screening facilities have to comply with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 and 1988. This is facilitated by compliance with stringent quality assurance standards set by the national health service breast screening programme.