In relation to WAQ75489, is the Cabinet Secretary satisifed with each health board's proposals to prepare for increased demand for endoscopy services as a result of the introduction of the faecal immunochemical test (FIT), and what guidance or support will the Welsh Government be providing to LHBS to ensure proposals are robust?
Public Health Wales (PHW) is leading on the implementation of the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) in Wales. The introduction of FIT in the bowel screening programme will offer a more sensitive test that is more acceptable to participants.
Achieving successful implementation will include meeting the potential increase in demand for diagnostic colonoscopy throughout Wales. PHW is working in partnership with health boards to develop this capacity across the whole system and we would expect this to be reflected in their IMTPs. The new test will be introduced from January 2019.