NATIONAL GUT WEEK

Early day motion 593, tabled 14 July 2005 by Andrew Murrison (Conservative). Signed by 63 members.

That this House welcomes Gut Week 2005 on 18th to 24th July, with the theme `get the good gut feeling'; recognises the efforts to raise the nation's awareness of digestive health and provide people with an opportunity to discuss gut issues; notes the effort to increase early detection of gut disorders to give the best opportunity for treatment; further welcomes the message that good health begins on the inside by looking after the digestive system, eating a healthy diet and not ignoring symptoms; expresses concern that new research reveals that a majority of the population consider important digestive symptoms are not sufficiently serious to consult a doctor, only a quarter think they would know how to self-diagnose a serious gut disorder, one in eight of all admissions to general hospitals are for conditions of the digestive tract and that over a third of the population regularly suffers from digestive illness; and congratulates the charities Care and the IBS Network for their efforts to raise the profile of digestive health.

Signatures by party: Conservative 40, Labour 11, Liberal Democrat 10, DUP 1, Plaid Cymru 1.