Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to resolve the problems surrounding the supply of surgical appliances to Coleraine hospital about which the hon. Member for Londonderry wrote on 22 May 1978.
§ Mr. Carter, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19 March 1979; Vol. 964, c. 498], gave the following information:
As my noble Friend explained in his letter to the hon. Member on 17 January 1979, the Department of Health and Social services for Northern Ireland is endeavouring to keep to a minimum the time needed to provide appliances. There are three Northern Ireland suppliers of surgical appliances. One supplier arranges for fitters to visit Coleraine hospital twice monthly, another arranges for fitters to visit every month, and the third sends a fitter when required.