PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
LYMPHOEDEMA (24 May 2005)

That this House notes that there are at least 100,000 men, women and children currently known to healthcare professionals who suffer from lymphoedema in this country; further notes that the Lymphoedema Support Network (LSN) received requests for over 62,000 LSN fact sheets from lymphoedema clinics and hospitals in this country in the past year and whilst relying solely on subscriptions and donations, has become the largest information resource for lymphoedema in the UK; congratulates the LSN on its patient-led initiative to raise awareness of this debilitating condition within the primary care trusts which has gained endorsement from influential organisations including The Royal College of General Practitioners, The Royal College of Physicians, The Royal College of Nursing, Macmillan Cancer Relief, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and The Long-Term Medical Conditions Alliance; and recognises the unacceptable discrimination between the provision of treatment for cancer and non-cancer related lymphoedema, despite published evidence that suggests for every cancer-related patient there are three non-cancer related patients, with less than half of current services offering appropriate treatment to non-cancer related patients, despite the obvious benefits of early diagnosis and treatment, the cost-effectiveness of professional management and the related cost savings.

Sponsored by:
Tim Loughton (Conservative)