§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that no unnecessary hysterectomies are performed; and if he will make a statement. [141366]
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§ Yvette CooperWe are concerned that hysterectomies are not performed unnecessarily. As with all major interventions, the decision to undergo hysterectomy must be for the woman concerned in the light of the best available medical advice.
We work closely with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), which issued guidance in 1999 to all its Fellows and Members on the management of menorrhagia, the presenting problem for about half of all women who undergo hysterectomies. Earlier this year, the RCOG reminded its Fellows and Members of the need for informed consent for surgery. We expect the RCOG's guidelines to be followed by all health authorities and National Health Service trusts. These guidelines are increasingly being used in clinical audit and clinical governance programmes.