Written question asked by Tim Loughton (Conservative) on Wednesday, 10 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 18 December 2003. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Thursday, 18 December 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the regional networks of microbiology laboratories were disbanded.

Answer: Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the regional networks of microbiology laboratories were disbanded. [144371] Miss Melanie Johnson: The Public Health Laboratory Service's regional network of microbiology laboratories has been replaced by the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) local and regional services division, which has a network of eight regional laboratories. This is supported by more than 300 National Health Service microbiology pathology laboratories across the country. The HPA has regional microbiologists (a newly created post in microbiology), who, working with regional epidemiologists and local communicable disease control teams, ensure that the public health outputs of the laboratories in their regions are maintained. This is a more comprehensive coverage of the public health needs across the country than was previously possible, filling some of the surveillance gaps identified by the Chief Medical Officer in his strategy for combating infectious diseases, Getting Ahead of the Curve.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 415 c1133W; 144371
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Health Protection Agency Economic regions Public Health Laboratory Service Microbiology Laboratories Pathology
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk