§ Mr. John Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Attendance Allowance Board has now given further consideration to the provision of attendance allowance for patients receiving dialysis treatment at home.
§ Mr. DeanI am glad to be able to inform my hon. Friend that, in the light of a recent decision of the Chief Commissioner—C.A. 15/73, a copy of which I have placed in the Library—that, as a matter of law, it would be open to the board to regard a pattern of three long sessions of dialysis a week as sufficient to meet one of the night requirements, the board has reconsidered the position. Each case must of course be considered on its own facts, but where, in any case, the facts establish a pattern of dialysis for three nights a week this will be regarded as meeting the medical requirements for payment of attendance allowance at the lower rate. I understand the consequence of this to be that the great majority of those on home dialysis will now be eligible for the allowance.