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Committee investigates chlamydia screening programme

25 November 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)

Image of UK Parliament portcullis

The Commons Public Accounts Committee is holding an evidence session on young people's sexual health and the National Chlamydia Screening Programme with senior officials from the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency. Watch live from 3.30 pm

The witnesses are:

  • Sir Hugh Taylor KCB, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health (DH)
  • Dr David R Harper CBE, Director of Commissioning and System Management, DH
  • Dr Ruth Hussey OBE, Regional Director of Public Health/Senior Medical Director for NHS and DH North West
  • Justin McCracken, Chief Executive, Health Protection Agency

The National Audit Office's (NAO) report published earlier this year found that to have a significant impact on chlamydia, overall testing levels of 26 per cent or above are required. Only half the primary care trusts reached this level in 2008-9, six years after the Programme’s launch. The NAO says that this, combined with the local inefficiencies and duplications, shows that the delivery of the Programme to date has not demonstrated value for money.