§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the level of audit by health authorities of breast cancer treatment outcomes. [60601]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThe Public Health Common Data Set contains mortality data for breast cancer by health authority but information on survival is not yet collected. The current development by the Cancer Services Co-ordinating Group of a cancer information strategy for Wales to be put in place during 1999 will address this issue.
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§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the level of training provided in each health authority for general practitioners in breast cancer follow up. [60609]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThis information is not held centrally. Responsibility for postgraduate education for general practitioners rests with the GP Sub Dean in the School of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education based in the University of Wales College of Medicine.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what(a) number and (b) percentage of (i) doctors, (ii) nurses and (iii) administrative staff involved in providing breast care services have received training in communication skills. [60614]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThis information is not held centrally. However, all doctors and nurses have to undergo training in communications skills as part of their pre-registration curriculum.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what percentage of women receive the triple assessment for breast cancer recommended in "Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer"; [60607]
(2) what percentage of test results for breast cancer patients are available within five working days. [60613]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThis information is not held centrally. However, such information will be obtained from a prospective audit of referrals to specialist breast teams to be undertaken in January 1999 by the Cancer Services Co-ordinating Group.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the location of multi-disciplinary breast cancer teams working with a written protocol as a benchmark to manage co-ordinated care. [60610]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThe location of multidisciplinary breast cancer teams in Wales was published on 4 November 1998 in the Annual Report of the Cancer Services Co-ordinating Group. I will arrange for copies of the report to be placed in the Library of the House. All multi-disciplinary teams are required to work to the minimum standards for breast cancer care which include the requirement to work within documented evidence-based local policies based on national guidelines.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the involvement of general practitioners in each health authority in developing local arrangements for the follow up of primary breast cancer patients. [60611]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesGeneral Practitioners should, with their local multi-disciplinary team for breast cancer, develop arrangements to ensure patients receive continuing care. The new Local Health Groups will have an important role to ensure that this happens.
§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many trusts which provide a breast cancer service have(a) a written communications policy and (b) a protocol for communication with patients. [60612]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThis information is not held centrally. However, the cancer centres in Velindre and Singleton NHS trusts are piloting patient-held records with a view to improving communication between trusts, primary care and patients, their families and carers.