§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor whether(a) primary care trusts and (b) health authorities are making funding available to provide the best quality hearing aids to all patients. [61078]
§ Jacqui SmithThe National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance on hearing aid technology in July 2000. Directions have been issued obliging health authorities and primary care trusts to provide appropriate funding so that clinical decisions made by doctors involving NICE recommended treatments or drugs can be funded.
We expect all health authorities and primary care trusts to meet their statutory obligations to provide appropriate funding for treatments recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. The new strategic health authorities will manage the performance of their constituent national health service bodies in meeting these commitments.