§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action she is taking to improve liaison between surgeons and limb fitters with regard to amputees.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe medical officers of the Department's Artificial Limb Service are always available for consultation by operating surgeons on matters appertaining to amputation and limb fitting and in individual cases, where time permits, their advice is frequently sought. This liaison is facilitated increasingly as the Department's policy develops of integrating limb fitting centres with hospitals or building them in hospital grounds.
Nevertheless, the desirability of closer liaison between surgeons and the Artificial Limb Service has recently been considered by the Department's Chief Medical Officer with the President of the Royal College of Surgeons. As a result, arrangements are well advanced for a two-day symposium next year at the Royal College when the problems of amputees will be discussed between the surgeons who amputate and prosthetic specialists. In order that amputees' problems can be clinically demonstrated and debated it is planned to hold part of the symposium in the limb fitting centre at Roehampton.
§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action 630W she is taking to encourage the training of limb fitters.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisSince 1968 the basic training of limb fitters employed in the Artificial Limb Service has been carried out under a four-year course. The course is approved by the Department and orgainsed by the British Institute of Surgical Technicians in conjunction with the United Kingdom Centre for Bio-medical Technology at Paddington Technical College. The course comprises academic studies, including the life sciences, clinical and prosthetic instruction, and a final intern year of practical experience. All limb fitters who treat National Health Service patients are now required to have completed this course successfully, or to have been trained to an equivalent approved standard. Refresher and post-certification courses for limb fitters are also arranged at Paddington College and at the National Centre for Training and Education in Prosthetics, University of Strathclyde.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time at appliance centres at the last date for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisIn April of this year an operational research team of the Department measured the time limbless patients have to wait to see a doctor or a limb fitter at a representative sample of artificial limb and appliance centres. As a result of recommendations by this team a very slightly modified system of appointments has reduced the weighted average waiting times from 32 to 28 minutes. This latter figure contains an element of five minutes for patients who arrive early for their appointments.
For the many limbless who are brought to ALACs by ambulances there is a second delay, averaging 26 minutes, before all those who travel in the one vehicle can be assembled to go home.