Meetings

The Committee considered an update on the petition and agreed to write back to the Welsh Government to ask:

·         For further details as to how the bowel screening programme is being re-instated and current progress on this; and,

·         to seek an update on any further progress made in relation to self-referral for people over the age of 74.

The Committee considered further correspondence and agreed to write to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ascertain:

·         Whether any research has been, or will be, commissioned in Wales into the potential benefits or harm of bowel cancer screening for people over the age of 74, and the associated timescale; and

·         an indication of the timescale for introducing screening for people in the 50 -59 age bracket.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:

·         write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to:

o   ask for a copy of the letter from the Wales Screening Committee to the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) seeking clarification on the rational for ending screening at the age of 74, and the UKNSC’s response when received;

o   ask whether the costs of extending screening post 74, either on a population basis or in the form of self-referral, have been assessed by the Welsh Government to date; and

o   ask for further explanation of the statement in the Minister’s letter that “all screening programmes have the potential for harm”; and

·         write to the Older People’s Commissioner and Bowel Cancer UK to seek their views on the petition.