§ 10. Colonel Ropnerasked the Minister of Health how long is the waiting period between the date of application for, and the date of delivery of, hearing aids under the National Health Service in the case of patients attending the York County Hospital.
§ Mr. MarquandThe period varies from two months to about two years according to priority.
§ Colonel RopnerIs there any likelihood of the Minister being able to reduce this period in the near future?
§ Mr. MarquandYes, Sir. I gave some encouraging figures about the increased output of hearing aids last week, I think, and as the output increases the waiting period must diminish.
§ Mr. TurtonIs not this area in a worse condition than other areas as regards both the number requiring hearing aids, and the time they have to wait?
§ Mr. MarquandI do not think it is very different. As I said last week, I have already reviewed the allocations to different areas so that the waiting period can be approximately even, throughout the country.
§ 14. Mr. Henry Hopkinsonasked the Minister of Health why the applicants on the waiting list for hearing aid instruments at the hearing aid clinic in Taunton, amounting to about 500, are obliged to wait two years for delivery of these instruments, whereas applicants in the Oxford area only have to wait six months.
§ Mr. MarquandMany more patients have applied for aids at Bristol, the centre which serves Taunton, than at Oxford. Allocations of aids to the centres have recently been adjusted and take account of this factor.
§ 16. Mr. Hopkinsonasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there are only two audiometricians who fit and adjust hearing aids at the regional depot at Bristol, which supplies most of the South-West Hospital Region; that in addition to fitting new instruments these two men are expected to do all the repair work for the region; and whether, in view of the serious delay in the issue of new instruments which this is causing additional audiometricians can be appointed.
§ Mr. MarquandYes, Sir, but I do not accept the statement in the last part of the Question. The hospital authorities concerned have concluded that the appointment of an additional technician is not at present necessary.
§ Mr. HopkinsonIs it not a fact that there has been no shortage of instruments at Bristol, and that the trouble there has been due to the fact that there are no training facilities for additional audiometricians? Will the Minister not reconsider this matter?
§ Mr. MarquandAs I think I explained last week, I have recently slightly increased the number of aids allocated to Bristol, and I am assured by the regional board, whose opinion I must accept, that three technicians will not be required unless a very material increase in supplies can be effected.
§ Mr. Douglas MarshallThe Minister has said that he has recently increased the number of aids allocated to Bristol. In an answer he gave the other day he said that he had increased the number allocated to the West of England. Did he include, in that reply, Plymouth as well as Bristol?
§ Mr. MarquandI should require notice of that question.
§ 17. Mr. Hopkinsonasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that many simple cases of deafness do not require to be fitted for a hearing-aid instrument by a qualified audiometrician, arrangements can be made for a stock of hearing aids to be kept at the Hearing-Aid Clinic in Taunton, so that patients can normally be fitted on the spot.
§ Mr. MarquandNo, Sir. It is essential that patients be fitted with their aids and instructed how to use them by trained staff.
§ Mr. HopkinsonIs the Minister aware that this is not the view of a number of qualified medical practitioners in Taunton, and will he please re-examine this question in view of the long waiting list for hearing aids there?
§ Mr. MarquandMy advice is that it would be wasteful of time and talent to make any change in the present arrangements.