HC Deb 07 November 2002 vol 392 cc512-3W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the preparedness of systems to replace the Public Health Laboratory Service. [78783]

Ms Blears

In the Chief Medical Officer's strategy for combating infectious diseases,Getting ahead of the Curve, he proposed subsuming the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS), the centre for applied microbiology and research, the national radiological protection board and the national focus for chemical incidents into a single new body, the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

The specialist and reference functions of the PHLS, mostly the Central Public Health Laboratory, and the communicable disease surveillance centre are to enter the HPA in their entirety, retaining their existing systems.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact on the existing effectiveness of the National Network of Microbiology Laboratories of the proposed changes to the Public Health Laboratory Service. [78785]

Ms Blears

We are aware of the informal microbiology networking arrangements currently managed by the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS). We intend to strengthen and enhance the current PHLS arrangements in the process of transferring the routine microbiology laboratories to National Health Service trusts and to build on their example of good practice.

The Chief Executive of the NHS has written to the chief executives of the receiving NHS trusts emphasising the need for the transfer process to be as smooth and efficient as possible. Maintenance and enhancement of the he existing functional arrangements between laboratories currently in the PHLS is clearly an important part of the efficiency of the transfer process.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when new replacement managed pathology networks are proposed to be established and effective to replace the Public Health Laboratory Service. [78784]

Ms Blears

As outlined in the recently published document,Future arrangements for microbiology laboratory services, all Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) laboratories, except for those designated as Health Protection Agency (HPA) laboratories, will transfer into the management of National Health Service trusts on 1 April 2003.

The Department of Health document, Pathology—The Essential Service, Draft guidance on modernising pathology services, supported the development of managed pathology networks as an effective means of delivering improved pathology services.

The consultation period for this document ended on 30 September 2002. The results of the consultation are currently being considered. It is anticipated that new guidance will be released to the NHS in the new year.