§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the number of adults who 461W cannot benefit from the standard National Health Service hearing aids, but would benefit from a more powerful aid; and what would be the estimated cost of providing such adults with a sufficiently powerful aid, either by applying commercial aids or by providing a new, more powerful National Health Service aid;
(2) what investigation his Department has made into the feasibility of providing a new National Health Service aid as powerful as the most powerful commercial ones; and if his Department intends to introduce such an aid.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisIt is not possible to estimate the number of patients who cannot benefit from present National Health Service aids, but I am advised that it is a relatively small figure. My aim is to ensure, as far as staffing and finance permit, that hearing aids available through the National Health Service meet the needs of all patients, and I am at present reviewing the current range of body-worn aids to consider the scope for improvement.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what proportion of children prescribed hearing aids have been given special, more powerful ones; and if he will give the figures for the last five years;
(2) whether there has been any significant change in the number of special hearing aids issued to children who cannot benefit from the standard range of National Health Service aids since the change in procedure that took place on 1st April 1974; and if he will give monthly figures for the number of such special aids that have been issued for two years before and after the change over;
(3) what financial arrangements have been made to cover the cost of those hearing aids which was previously met by the local education authority;
(4) what representations he has received from hospitals or individuals concerning the effects of the transfer of responsibility for the provision of hearing aids.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe cost of purchasing and maintaining special hearing aids for children, which was previously the responsibility of local authorities, is now met by health authorities. While I462W am not aware of any representations, I am advised that the supply position has generally improved since April 1974. I understand that, before the transfer of responsibility, information about special aids issued to children by local authorities was not kept centrally. Figures of monthly issues are not available, but during 1975 about 3,500 were supplied through the NHS. It is not possible to say what proportion this represents of all aids prescribed for children, as figures of total issues do not distinguish between adults and children and the information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many adults are annually prescribed National Health Service hearing aids.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI am unable to give the figure requested, because returns are not processed in such a way as to distinguish between issues to adults and children. A special analysis of aids fitted during January 1976, however, showed that about 5,800 aids were issued for the first time to adults in that month.