§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance has been issued by his Department concerning the issuing and use of digital hearing instruments; and how many such instruments have been issued to date at first wave sites; [144730]
(2) how many NHS trust audiology services are involved in trials of digital hearing instruments; where they are located; and how many patients have benefited from the new technology in each NHS trust area; [144731]
(3) which organisations have been consulted during the formulation of his proposals for modernisation for NHS hearing aid services. [144732]
§ Mr. HuttonThe project to modernise National Health Service hearing aid services was announced on 18 January 2000 following consultation with the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, the Medical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. The Royal Institute for Deaf People project team is working with the 20 participating NHS Trusts to implement the project. The National Health Service trusts involved in the project are:
Start year Addenbrookes NHS Trust 2000–01 James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust 2000–01 Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear 2000–01 Forest Healthcare NHS Trust 2000–01 Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust 2000–01 Leeds Teaching NHS Trust 2000–01 City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust 2001–02 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 2000–01 Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust 2001–02 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust 2000–01 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust (children) 2001–02 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 2001–02 East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust 2000–01 Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust 2000–01 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 2000–01 Queens Medical Centre University NHS Trust Nottingham 2000–01 The Kings Mill Centre for Healthcare Services NHS Trust 2001–02 Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Trust (children) 2000–01 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust 2000–01 Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospitals NHS Trust 2000–01 The following table shows the numbers of patients and digital hearing aids that have been supplied in the first phase of the project.
Patients Total digital aids Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 152 192 Addenbrookes NHS Trust 153 176 Royal United Hospital Bath 90 90 University Hospital Birmingham 14 14 Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust 10 10 Note
As at Tuesday 1 January 2001