HC Deb 15 September 2003 vol 410 cc624-5W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the ability of prosthetic services to meet the needs of users; and if he will make a statement. [128320]

Ms Rosie Winterton

It is for primary care trusts to assess the ability of their prosthetic services to meet the needs of users, as part of their general duty to determine what level of resources to devote to the treatment of different conditions in their localities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for the performance management of primary care trusts.

Linda Perham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he gives to hospitals with regard to skin colour matching in the provision of prosthetic limbs. [128274]

Ann Winterton

The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency issues guidance on the availability of products, which enables skin colour matching in the provision of prosthetic limbs. It is for local clinicians and service providers to decide what products to use in individual cases.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available for silicone cosmesis for prosthetics users in each of the last three years; how much was made available to each of the prosthetics centres in each of the last three years; how many patients were treated; what plans he has for the future funding of this service; and if he will make a statement. [128322]

Ms Rosie Winterton

Baseline allocations of £0.5 million in 2001–02, £1.5 million in 2002–03 and £2.0 million in 2003–04 were expected to be used for the provision of silicone cosmesis for artificial limbs. Spending on silicone cosmesis through the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency, which probably represents most if not all spending on silicone cosmesis, was £81,858 for 2001–02, £410,479 for 2002–03, and £137,502 in the first quarter of 2003–04. Information is not held centrally on the sums made available to individual prosthetics centres, nor on numbers of patients treated with silicone cosmesis. In future years primary care trusts will remain free to determine what amounts from their baseline allocations to use for the provision of silicone cosmesis.