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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to establish an X-ray facility in the health clinic at South Woodham Ferrers. [31640] Ms Blears: [holding answer 30 January 2002]: Maldon and South Chelmsford Primary Care Group put forward a bid towards the end of the 2000-01 financial year to the then National Patients' Access Team (now part of the National Health Service Modernisation Agency) for digital imaging facilities to be made available at South Woodham Ferrers clinic. The National Patients' Access Team considered the bid and although there was some capital funding available at that time unfortunately there were insufficient funds available to fund the purchase of this equipment. The overall concept of providing an X-ray facility in the local general practitioner clinic is a good one that would appear to enhance local patient services. However the overall cost of setting up a service with a digital X-ray machine is a lot greater than that of the equipment alone. There would be significant recurring staff and maintenance costs involved in the provision of such a service. The primary care trust would have to be able to meet these recurring costs from within their existing resources. Further more the type of X-rays that could be done out of a main X-ray department is limited to chest and extremity radiography only. While the modernisation agency does not have funds available to support this, the PCT may wish to prioritise its own funds to purchase such equipment. The Medical Devices Agency would be able to advise on suitable equipment that could provide a simple service at a lower cost than a full digital system.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

31640; 380 c946W;380 c947-8W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Clinics Medical equipment Screening X-rays South Woodham Ferrers

Link

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