§ Mr. EffordTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people currently suffering from Lupus disease in the United Kingdom; [46967]
(2) what training is given to doctors to assist with the diagnosis of Lupus disease. [46968]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Department has not made any estimate of the number of people suffering from Lupus, but research evidence indicates that there are possibly about 20,000 to 30,000 sufferers in the United Kingdom at any one time.
It is for health authorities to assess the health care needs of their populations, which will include an assessment of the number of people suffering from conditions such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
The training of doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of disease is primarily the responsibility of relevant educational and professional bodies, such as the medical Royal Colleges.