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Bowel Screening

Answer

The UK National Screening Committee has considered the case for bowel screening and recommended that a population programme should be introduced. I would wish to see such a programme introduced in Northern Ireland. However, before a programme could be implemented in Northern Ireland, detailed planning is required in order that the introduction of bowel screening does not adversely impact on services for those patients with symptomatic bowel disease. In addition, infrastructure development and capacity building is required so that the necessary resources, people and skills are in place to ensure a quality service.In preparation of this, the workshop on bowel cancer held on 20 June considered the current capacity and pressure on the symptomatic bowel service. It identified the need for expansion of endoscopy training and capacity, and the introduction of quality standards in line with those applied in England. My Department has allocated resources to support these developments and is currently working with the relevant health professionals to address these issues and thereby enhance the capacity of the symptomatic service.A bowel cancer screening conference, jointly organised by Action Cancer and my Department, was held on 9 October 2006. It provided learning from the experiences of introducing bowel cancer screening in England and Scotland, which will be taken into account for the introduction of bowel screening here. These and other initiatives will leave Northern Ireland in a much better position to introduce bowel cancer screening in 2009.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

103463; 453 c566-7W

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Northern Ireland Screening Bowel cancer

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk