§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 878, if the women pursuing claims against the Argyll and Clyde health board in respect of the mis-reading of cervical smear slides at the Inverclyde Royal hospital have recourse to the newly instituted complaints procedure; and if he will make a statement. [21691]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe new complaints procedure to which I referred in my answer of 28 February will become operational on 1 April 1996. There will be a transitional period during which existing complaints procedures will run in parallel with the new procedure, and it has been decided that non-clinical complaints, such as those referred to by the hon. Gentleman, received before 1 April 1996 will be dealt with under the old procedures. The women pursuing claims against the Argyll and Clyde health board in respect of the mis-reading of cervical smear slides at the Inverclyde Royal hospital will not therefore have recourse to the new complaints procedure.