§ Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Health the number of eye hospitals and hospitals with eye departments, respectively, in the London area, and the number in which the optician is allowed to sell private spectacle frames
8Won the premises to out-patients, and the number of hospitals which debar private sales within the precincts; and whether he will consider establishing a common practice in all hospitals of not permitting private frame sales on the premises to out-patients.
§ Miss PittMy information is that of the four eye hospitals and 67 hospital eye departments in the County of London, 37 employ opticians to dispense prescriptions; in 21 of these the hospital optician is not allowed to make private transactions on hospital premises, and in 16 he is allowed, if so requested by the patient, to supply spectacle frames outside the National Health Service range. So long as the patient is aware of the range of frames available under the National Health Service my right hon. and learned Friend does not propose changes in any existing arrangements which may be convenient for the patient and do not prejudice normal hospital work.