§ 70. Mr. Shoreasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the practice in some hospitals of depriving elderly or mentally disordered patients of spectacles, dentures and hearing aids; and whether this practice is approved by him.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI regard it as essential that elderly or mentally disordered patients should be enabled to make the best use of their faculties by having proper spectacles, dentures and other aids when they need them. I deplore the practice of depriving patients of such aids which I am aware is still followed 225W in a minority of hospitals and which can rarely be in the patient's own interest. I intend to issue guidance to hospital and local health and welfare authorities in due course.