Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she intends to take following the recommendation of the National Screening Committee, that a national screening policy should be implemented by her Department for abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Ms Rosie Winterton
[holding answer 23 April 2007]: The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (NSC) has advised that screening for men aged 65 for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) can be recommended in principle subject to further work, particularly on the appropriate configuration of treatment services and the provision of men to make an informed choice about whether to undergo screening. The NSC considered further work undertaken by the AAA screening working group at its meeting in March 2007. More detailed work will now be undertaken on the practical issues that would be involved in implementation.