Wednesday 29 January 2014
Health and Social Services Department media response to Guernsey Press enquiry
Guernsey Press Enquiry:
As I mentioned I had a couple of specific questions relating to bowel cancer screening and the decision taken to screen one cohort instead of two.
Is it correct that [...] was the person who took the decision not to screen two cohorts? And was this decision communicated at a meeting with the Gastrointestinal Tract Multidisciplinary Team because all the money had been spent?
Could HSSD confirm or deny whether the above is correct?
Could the department also confirm on what basis [...] took the decision that only one cohort would be screened (when the budget was not spent)? Was this his own decision or a recommendation from another colleague? If so, who?
On a separate note, Deputy Dorey has previously stated that the decision to screen only one cohort was taken by the HSSD board back in 2012. However, the business case, approved by the HSSD board, refers to screening two cohorts. Can HSSD confirm if and when the board were ever involved in this decision?
Health & Social Services Department Response:
A spokesperson for HSSD said:
"As published in the recent report on the bowel cancer screening programme, 'The bowel cancer screening programme appears to have delivered a good service, within the parameters agreed in 2011 (a one-off screen of people at the age of 60)'.
The business case that was approved by the HSSD Board in 2012 stated there could be an expansion of the service to a second cohort pending future developments. This is the process that the current Board is now embarking on.
There has been no political involvement by the current Board in this service until the beginning of October 2013 when it was agreed with the Medical Specialist Group that an Evaluation Report of the service would be undertaken.
The decision to expand to a second cohort will be considered by the Board based on seven recommendations in the Report in accordance with sound clinical advice from the Professional Guidance Committee."
-ENDS-
