Written question asked by Ian Gibson (Labour) on Wednesday, 23 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 29 January 2002. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Tuesday, 29 January 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to reduce the number of age-related macular degeneration patients eligible for treatment (a) losing sight and (b) registering blind owing to a lack of regional availability of visudyne; what discussions his Department has held with representatives of (a) general practitioners, (b) primary care trusts, (c) health authorities and (d) ophthalmologists to discuss (i) the speed of referral for age-related macular degeneration patients eligible for treatment and (ii) the shortening of the treatment process; if he will issue guidance to primary care trusts on treatable age-related macular degeneration to increase referral speed to an ophthalmologist and the shortening of the treatment process; what plans he has to include screening for wet age-related macular degeneration as part of the regular sight test for the relevant age groups. - (Holding answer 28 January 2002).

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 379 c285W;379 c283W; 30715;30716;30717;30718
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Diseases Eligibility Drugs Eyesight Eyes Health authorities General practitioners Medical treatments Older people Primary care trusts Ophthalmic services Ophthalmology Macular degeneration Visual impairment Waiting lists Testing
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk