§ Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take to remedy the inconvenience caused by the failure of contractors to meet demands for bone conductor hearing aids.
§ Mr. AlisonRecent production difficulties have been overcome and deliveries are now being received from an additional source of supply. All contractors are being pressed to improve their delivery rates.
§ Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list 406W the requirements of the various regional hospital boards in England for bone conductor hearing aids for the years 1968, 1969 and 1970, and the number actually supplied by the contractors in each of those years.
§ Mr. AlisonRecords are not available of the number of patients whose needs can be met only by bone-conduction aids, nor is an analysis readily available of issues during 1968. Issues in the two later years were:
Regional Allocation 1969 1970 Newcastle … 620 378 Leeds … 635 348 Sheffield … 545 335 East Anglia … 220 165 North West Metropolitan … 743 491 North East Metropolitan … 557 459 South East Metropolitan … 717 540 south West Metropolitan … 330 225 Oxford … 217 172 South Western … 500 330 Birmingham … 775 507 Manchester … 733 526 Liverpoo1 … 412 320 Wessex … 305 304 7,309 5,100 Manufacturing difficulties prevented the issue of these aids in the quantities ordered by hospital authorities and distribution of the total available was made as fairly as possible. As a result of efforts over a considerable period a significantly greater number is currently being issued.
§ Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of time patients have to wait before replacements can be made for bone conductor hearing aids.
§ Mr. AlisonThe period is usually about two months, but occasionally it is somewhat longer.