§ Mr. Forresterasked Secretary of State for Social Services if he has issued a national directive for the supply of surgical shoes under the National Health Service; how many pairs may be issued initially; and how often they may be replaced or repaired.
§ Mr. RossiMy right hon. Friend does not issue directives on what consultants should prescribe but the Department has provided some general advice that two pairs of surgical footwear should be the minimum supplied and that a third pair should be prescribed where the consultant considers it justified, for example, where the patient's employment causes excessive wear and tear to his footwear or for youngsters with active recreational pursuits. Similarly, the advice points out that the frequency of repair or replacement cannot be determined arbitrarily and that footwear should be repaired as often as necessary and replaced when repair is no longer economically possible.
Despite this there is a fairly widespread misconception among patients that there is a laid-down scale of issue and frequency of repair or replacement, and I welcome this opportunity to make the position clear.