§ 76. Mr. Crouchasked the Minister of Health what is the present number of patients on the waiting list of the Borough General Hospital, Southampton, for issue of hearing aids who applied in the years 1949 and 1950; and when Mrs. Chadwick, Graftons, Sherbourne Causeway, Shaftesbury, Dorset, may expect to receive the hearing aid for which she applied in August, 1950.
§ Mr. MarquandThe answer to the first part of the Question is 2,380. I understand that Mrs. Chadwick has no special claim to priority and I regret, therefore, that her turn is not likely to come for some time.
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§ 87. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health, in view of complaints by old age pensioners that they experience undue delay in being supplied with deaf aids after examination, why preference is given in the supply of deaf aids to those who are not old age pensioners; and what is now the average time in delay before these appliances are available to any applicants.
§ Mr. MarquandWhile I have great sympathy with the needs of old people, I think that the needs of those who positively require an aid for their work should, generally, come first. The waiting time varies so greatly between different distribution centres and according to the degree of priority given to patients that an average would be without significance.
§ 88. Mr. Chetwyndasked the Minister of Health how far the delay in the supply of hearing aids is due to any cessation of production.
§ Mr. MarquandNot at all.