HC Deb 16 June 1972 vol 838 cc431-40W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(2) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(3) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the North-East Metropolitan Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(4) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(5) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Wessex Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(6) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Oxford Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(7) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Manchester Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(8) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(9) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(10) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the South-Western Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(11) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(12) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Leeds Regional Hos-

Regional Hospital Board Numbers of patients assessed Numbers for whom equipment prescribed, by disability Number of Assessors by Specialty
South West Metropolitan 76 Sclerosis 31 One Consultant in Physical Medicine
Spasticity 3
Poliomyelitis 5
Rheumatoid Arthritis 5
Paralysis 4
Neurofibromatosis 1
Spinal Deformities 4
Muscular Dystrophy 5
Motor Neurone Dises 4
Total 62
South East Metropolitan 44 Sclerosis 7 Four Consultants in Physical Medicine
Tetraplegia 2
Progressive Neurological Lesion 1
Rheumatoid Arthritis 2
Cerebellar Degeneration 1
Viral Myelitis 1
Poliomyelitis 3
Demyelinating Disease 1
Muscular Dystrophy 1
Syringomyelia 1
Total 20
North East Metropolitan 54 Sclerosis 10 One Consultant in Physical Medicine
Acute anterior poliomyelitis 1
Paralysis 3
Quadriplegia 1
Tetraplegia 1
Muscular Atrophy 1
Cerebella Ataxia 1
Poliomyelitis 3
Dermatomyocytis, with generalised calcinosis 1
Ankylosing Spondylitis 1
Spasticity 3

pital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(13) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement;

(14) how many items of Possum equipment have been assessed and how many prescribed by the East Anglia Regional Hospital Board; what were the numbers of each disability where equipment has been granted; if he will indicate the number and speciality of the assessors; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

Following is the information at 31st May. 1972:

Regional Hospital Board Numbers of patients assessed Numbers for whom equipment prescribed, by disability Number of Assessors by Specialty
Paraplegia 1
Cerebral Palsy 1
Muscular Dystrophy 2
Syringomyelia 1
Friedreich Ataxia 1
Rheumatoid Arthritis 2
Spinal Injuries 1
Total 35
North West Metropolitan 51 Sclerosis 25 Two Consultant Neurologists
Rheumatoid Arthritis 2
Muscular Dystrophy 2
Syringomyelia 3
Motor Neurone Disease 3
Cerebral Palsy 1
Poliomyelitis 3
Paralysis 6
Total 45
Wessex 15 Nil, but a number of recommendations have been made for the supply of simpler forms of control equipment One Consultant in Physical Medicine
Oxford 27 Poliomyelitis 5 Medical Director of National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville
Sclerosis 4
Motor Neurone Disease 1
Tetraplegia 3
Muscular Dystrophy 1
Paralysis 2
Traumatic 1
Cerebral Palsy 2
Quadriplegia 2
Rheumatoid Arthritis 1
Total 22
Manchester 65 Sclerosis 17 Two Consultants in Physical Medicine
Rheumatoid Arthritis 2
Tetraplegia 1
Muscular Dystrophy 3
Quadriplegia 1
Cerebral Palsy 1
Parkinsons Disease 1
Spasticity 1
Motor Neurone Disease 1
Total 34
Birmingham 41 Motor Neurone Disease 7 One Consultant in Physical Medicine. One Consultant Physician
Tetraplegia 7
Myasthenia Gravis 1
Sclerosis 7
Spasticity 1
Rheumatoid Arthritis 3
Muscular Dystrophy 3
Paraplegia 1
Polyarthritis 1
Total 31

Regional Hospital Board Numbers of patients assessed Numbers for whom equipment prescribed, by disability Number of Assessor by Specialty
Liverpool 29 Spasticity 2 One Consultant Physician
Tetraplegia 2
Quadriplegia 2
Poliomyelitis 1
Arthritis 2
Sclerosis 3
Paralysis 3
Motor Neurone Disease 1
Total 16
South Western 55 Motor Neurone Disease 3 One Consultant Anaesthetist
Tetraplegia 1
Muscular Dystrophy 4
Paralysis 6
Sclerosis 20
Quardriplegia 2
Paraplegia 1
Spinal Injuries 1
Spasticity 2
Total 40
Sheffield 25 Muscular Dystrophy 1 One Consultant in Physical Medicine. One Consultant in Neurosurgery
Poliomyelitis 2
Quadriplegia 2
Rheumatoid Arthritis 1
Paralysis 3
Sclerosis 4
Total 13
Leeds 34 Quadriplegia 12 One Consultant in Neurology
Sclerosis 10
Poliomyelitis 1
Rheumatoid Arthritis 1
Total 24
Newcastle 53 Sclerosis 12 Two Consultant Neurologists. One Consultant in Physical Medicine/Rheumatology
Paraplegia 8
Muscular Dystrophy 5
Spinal Injuries 4
Syringomyelia 3
Friedreich Ataxia 1
Total 33
East Anglian 8 Rheumatoid Arthritis 1 One Consultant in Physical Medicine
Traumatic 2
Spasticity 2
Total 5

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place ineach case; and if he will make a statement;

(2) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(3) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Hospital Board; how much consultation North-East Metropolitan Regional takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(4) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(5) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Wessex Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(6) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Oxford Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(7) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Manchester Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(8) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(9) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(10) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the South-Western Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(11) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each; and if he will make a statement;

(12) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Leeds Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(13) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement;

(14) to what extent local authorities or other organisations have added facilities to Possum equipment prescribed by the East Anglia Regional Hospital Board; how much consultation takes place in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alison

Information about additional facilities provided for individual Possum installations is not maintained centrally. Items most commonly supplied include power circuits, cabinets to house the equipment and door lock intercommunication systems. The needs of each Possum user are carefully assessed at a domiciliary case conference at which the local authority is always represented.

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