§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is currently being undertaken by his Department's physically handicapped research group; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe following is a list of projects currently being sponsored by my Department's Physical Handicap Research Liaison Group:
Physical Handicap (General)
- A study of organisation of services for the care of people with epilepsy.
- A programme of research into the needs of, and services for, handicapped children and their families.
- A review of the research literature on handicapped children.
- A survey of the prevalence and service implications of incontinence.
- A study of the care of patients with colostomies.
- A survey of patients with spinal injuries.
896 - A review of classification systems of handicap, impairment and disability.
- Research into communication and community care of patients with arthritic and rheumatic disorders.
- A study of psychological factors and social adjustment of adolescents with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and hydrocephalus.
Physical Handicap (Aids and Mobility)
- Assessment of clinical engineering research into disability due to complex neuromuscular disorders in physically handicapped children.
- Two evaluation studies of aids and equipment for the disabled.
- Programme of orthopaedic engineering research.
- Research studies of the mobility of the disabled living in a rural environment.
Rehabilitation
- A controlled trial of rehabilitation procedures among out-patients following stroke.
- A programme of research to investigate and evaluate remedial and physical methods of treatment for acute and chronic musculo-skeletal disorders.
- Ergonomics and rehabilitation—a ten year follow-up study of patients with low back pain.
- Two investigations of the value of therapy in the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain and sciatica.
- Study of employment rehabilitation at an Employment Rehabilitation Centre.
- Follow-up survey of the rehabilitation of severe head injury.
- Two studies of physiotherapy services outside hospitals.
Speech Therapy
Five investigations into various aspects of speech therapy and its applications.
Hearing Impairment
- Three studies of hearing-impaired people on handling of aids, equipment and appliances, and of methods of rehabilitating hearing-impaired adults.
- Study of counselling services for deaf adolescents and their families, in relation to emotional and psychiatric disorders.
- Evaluation trials on a neo-natal auditory response cradle.
Visual Impairment
- Studies of mobility problems of the blind how these may be ameliorated.
- Studies of visual and employment capabilities of the partially sighted.