§ Lord Ironsideasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many X-ray mammography facilities are operated by the National Health Service; and where each of them is sited.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonThis information is not held centrally. It is a matter for health authorities in partnership with trusts to decide how many X-ray mammography facilities to operate and where to site them, based on clinical need among the local population.
§ Lord Ironsideasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will introduce legislation to require National Health Service X-ray mammography screening facilities to obtain a certificate of approval, to be prominently displayed and renewed at yearly intervals, covering equipment, procedures, methodology, film processing, operator and consultant qualifications, keeping of records and monitoring of screening plans for women in eligible age brackets and susceptible categories.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonThere are no plans at present to introduce legislation to require National Health Service X-ray mammography screening facilities to obtain a certificate of approval.
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§ Lord Ironsideasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many X-ray mammography facilities used in the National Health Service are certified as having ISO 9002 Quality Assurance Standard approval.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonThis information is not held centrally. It is not a requirement of the National Health Service that X-ray mammography facilities are certified as having ISO 9002 Quality Assurance Standard approval.
§ Lord Ironsideasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many different types of X-ray mammography equipment are used by the National Health Service and whether the National Health Service has now selected a preferred type of equipment which will improve image definition and reduce the radiation dose.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonThis information is not held centrally. It is a matter for individual health authorities to decide what mammography equipment to use, taking account of the Department of Health'sRevised Guidance for Health Authorities on Mammographic Equipment (STD 90/46). Further guidance on mammographic equipment is included in the Breast Screening Programme's Guidance notes on mammographic X-ray equipment: Selection, maintenance, suspension from use, and replacement. There is no preferred type of equipment so long as STD 90/46 is complied with, and the equipment is maintained and checked to standards set out in the above guidance.
Copies of the documents are available in the Library.