§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposal by private firms to offer drop-in body scans claiming to identify cancer and heart disease; and what(a) checks and (b) licensing a company must undergo to ensure that such a service is (i) reliable and (ii) effective. [27853]
§ Yvette CooperFrom 1 April this year the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) will take over from health authorities the regulation of independent health care providers under the Care Standards Act 2000. For the first time, owners and managers of independent drop-in medical services and exclusively private general practitioners offering primary care or diagnostic services to the public will be obliged to register with the NCSC, comply with regulations and meet core and service-specific national minimum standards.
Treatment and diagnostic services provided solely by registered nurses or other non-medical health professionals will not be required to register with the NCSC. However, under the Care Standards Act my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has powers to make regulations to bring services not initially regulated by the National Care Standards Commission under regulation at a future date.
Other specific legislation requires that all medical exposures to ionising radiation, such as X-rays or CT scans, whether undertaken in the national health service or private sector must be justified.