This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Group to review genetic services
17/06/2004
An expert group to review NHS genetic services and the
application of new genetic knowledge in Scotland was
announced today.
The aim of the group is to ensure that Scotland
continues to maintain a leading role in the field of
genetic services.
Announcing the group, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm
said:
"Scotland has well established, internationally
respected genetic services and I am extremely proud of our
standing at the forefront of this field.
"I want to ensure we keep pace with developments and
remain one of the world leaders in the field, and it is for
this reason I have established this expert group to review
the genetic services currently being offered by the NHS in
Scotland.
"I am delighted the group will be chaired by Professor
Sir Kenneth Calman, the former Chief Medical Officer of
Scotland, whose experience and expertise will be invaluable
to this review.
"The findings and recommendations of the Group will
provide a framework within which we can plan and develop
our genetic services and maximise opportunities for
advances in genetic knowledge to be used to enhance other
services currently being offered by the NHS."
Membership of the Expert Group is:
* Professor Sir Kenneth Calman - formerly Chief Medical
Officer of Scotland and of England and now Principal of
Durham University (Chair)
* Professor John Ansell, University of Edinburgh
* Professor Veronica Van Heyningen, Medical Research
Council
* Professor Neva Haites, University of Aberdeen
* Professor J Michael Connor, University of Glasgow
* Dr Helen Gregory, Royal College of General
Practitioners
* Reverend Dr Kenneth Boyd, University of Edinburgh
* Mr Peter O'Hagan, Argyll and Clyde NHS Board
* Ms Rose-Marie Parr, NHS Education for Scotland
* Professor John Smyth, University of Edinburgh
The Secretary of State for Health published in June
2003, a White Paper 'Our Inheritance, our future -
realising the potential of genetics in the NHS'. This
White Paper set out a plan of action and proposals for
investment in genetics for the NHS in England, as well as
covering wider UK genetics policy issues. The Executive
propose to build on this initiative by reviewing NHS
genetic services in Scotland, with a particular focus on
the implications of current developments in genetics and on
the proposals set out in the White Paper for the wider
application of genetics in the NHS in Scotland.
The Group will have the following terms of
reference:
'To review NHS genetics services in Scotland in the
light of the White Paper 'Our Inheritance, our future -
realising the potential of genetics in the NHS' and to
assess how the current quality of such services in Scotland
can be maintained and the potential from present
developments in genetics harnessed for the benefit of
academia, the biotechnology industry and the NHS in
Scotland.'
The group will meet for the first time on Monday 28
June.