Respiratory Diseases: Screening
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure spirometry testing is (a) funded and (b) available in areas covered by the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Spirometry testing is provided at the Washwood Heath Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC), along with other respiratory diagnostic tests such as fractional exhaled nitric oxide and lung function tests. The same tests will also be available at the North Solihull and South Birmingham CDCs when they go live next year. Mobilisation meetings are underway with the provider to establish that these services are ready to go live.
All tests and funding seen in the CDC have a tariff attached to them, which incentivises systems to develop diagnostic pathways, including for respiratory health, that take place in the community. These tests are local, accessible, and offer timely appointments. There are now three CDCs approved in Birmingham and Solihull, which shows a system shift to a community-based delivery model for all diagnostics, and spirometry testing is key to diagnosis a number of conditions affecting a large number of the local population.
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