asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer of 29 April, Official Report, columns 49–51 about cervical screening and the Minister for Health's press release No. 85/113 of that date, which health authorities are currently using computers for call and which for recall only; what are the estimated dates on which those health authorities having firm plans to computerise expect to do so; which health authorities have a backlog of more than three months in processing smear tests in pathology laboratories; and if he will list the health authorities with the best record for providing women with cervical cancer screening and the criteria on which this assessment was made.
The information available relates to family practitioner committees acting on behalf of health authorities and is as follows:
Computerised cervical cytology call and recall (CR): —Liverpool, Barking, Havering and Brentwood, Isle of Wight, Rochdale, Calderdale, Derbyshire, Devon, Bedfordshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Cleveland, Sandwell.
Computerised cervical cytology recall only (R): — Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Avon, Stockport, Norfolk, Buckinghamshire, Northampton, Rotherham, Kent, Croydon, Wigan.
| FPC's with plans to computerise and estimated dates: | ||
| Buckinghamshire | CR | 1 July 1985 |
| Northampton | CR | 1 July 1985 |
| Rotherham | CR | 1 January 1986 |
| Croydon | CR | 1 June 1985 |
| Wigan | CR | 1 December 1985 |
| Durham | R | 1 July 1985 |
| Suffolk | R | 1 July 1985 |
| Bromley | R | 1 December 1985 |
| North Tyneside | R | 1 January 1986 |
| Leicestershire | CR | 1 June 1985 |
| Northumberland | CR | 1 June 1985 |
| Nottingham | CR | 1 August 1985 |
| Warwickshire | CR | 1 August 1985 |
| Coventry | CR | 1 October 1985 |
| Kirklees | CR | 1 October 1985 |
| Hampshire | CR | 1 December 1985 |
| Hereford and Worcester | CR | 1 December 1985 |
| Wiltshire | CR | 10 December 1985 |