§ 41. Mr. Hastingsasked the Minister of Health what arrangements he has made for the provision of hearing aids for bedfast patients, where aids have been ordered by specialists who have seen such patients in their homes.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodSome hearing aid centres arrange domiciliary visits by technicians. Others give the aid and instruction in its use by proxy. If the hon. Member has any particular difficulties in mind, I shall be glad to consider them.
§ Mr. HastingsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that consultants visit people in their homes at public expense and supply hearing aids for them, but that a hearing aid is not provided unless a person attends at a centre to have a cast taken of his ear, and that some of these patients are too ill for that? Would the right hon. Gentleman arrange that in such a case, in which the patient cannot attend the centre, 30 technicians at the centre should visit the patient in the same way as the consultant has done?
§ Mr. MacleodI shall be very glad to look into that. I made inquiries, of course, about the position in the area in which the hon. Member is particularly interested, Barking. I found that that area is served by the London Hospital, which issues these aids to general practitioners. However, I shall be very glad to look into the other matters raised by the hon. Member in his supplementary question.
§ Mr. HastingsI am not referring to Barking, where the service is good, but to other parts. May I send to the right hon. Gentleman particulars of a case I have in mind and ask him to look into it?
§ Mr. MacleodYes.