§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when digital hearing aids will be available in West Sussex. [64667]
§ Jacqui SmithAn announcement about which national health service trusts will join the modernising hearing aid services project and will be providing digital hearing aids by the end of March 2003, was made in my reply to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) and the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 10 April 2002,Official Report,column 465–66W.
1095WIn addition to the second wave sites, we intend to provide at least a further 15 sites with the training and equipment they need to start fitting digital hearing aids from April 2003. I understand that Surrey and Sussex Healthcare has already expressed an interest in being one of those sites.