7. Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Health if he will take powers to prescribe the medical training required by salesmen of hearing aids manufactured by private firms.
§ Miss PittNo, Sir. My right hon. and learned Friend does not think there are sufficient grounds to justify such a step.
Mrs. ButlerIs the hon. Lady aware that in my constituency elderly people are being visited in their own home by salesmen and some of them are entering into hire-purchase agreements, which they cannot afford and which they very often do not understand, only to find that the hearing aid supplied is the wrong type, an internal one where an external aid is needed, or vice versa? Can she find some way of protecting these people whose age and deafness make them particularly vulnerable?
§ Miss PittIf that is correct, I would deprecate it. It is a fact that Medresco hearing a ids can be obtained free under the National Health Service, and my right hon. and learned Friend is advised that there are no medical grounds for seeking to intervene in private transactions involving hearing aids. The purchaser of an unsuitable hearing aid is unlikely to suffer harm from it.
Mrs. ButlerBut is not the hon. Lady aware that, while there may be no permanent harm, fitting an internal hearing aid to somebody who needs an external one can cause a great deal of discomfort and pain and some injury, which remains for a little time, although it may not be permanent? Is that not a medical ground?
§ Miss PittI am not aware of any medical ground. I hope that these questions and answers may bring home to some of the hon. Lady's constituents the fact that they can obtain adequate aids under the National Health Service.
§ 8. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Health if he will make arrangements 14 whereby British citizens serving Her Majesty's Government overseas can be supplied with a spare Medresco hearing aid in case of need.
§ Miss PittMy right hon. and learned Friend's responsibilities are limited to England and Wales, but the Ministry has made arrangements with the Service Departments for the servicing and replacement of Medresco hearing aids used overseas by persons for whom they are responsible. While he could not undertake to supply any person with two aids, my right hon. and learned Friend will consider with his right hon. Friends the possibility of reducing delays by the carrying of limited stocks of spare parts in the main overseas commands of the Services.
§ Mr. SwinglerThis matter concerns not only Service men but civilians who are serving in far-away places overseas. I gave the hon. Lady an example recently. Should not the National Health Service aim to cater for the needs of such persons who may be serving in distant places overseas and who may require from time to time to send their hearing aids to the United Kingdom for repairs, with the result that they are left without a hearing aid for weeks or, perhaps, months? Would it not be possible for the National Health Service to provide at least a spare hearing aid for such people?
§ Miss PittThe case about which the hon. Member wrote to me is that of a civilian, but a civilian employed by the War Department and, therefore, the responsibility of that Service Department. If he were a private individual there would be no responsibility because, as I have already explained, my right hon. and learned Friend's authority does not extend outside England and Wales. I will add that we have not been asked by the Service Departments to supply spare aids for patients, but we are to discuss with them at a meeting at the end of the month whether they would like to carry limited stocks of spare aids and parts in the main Service centres concerned.