§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he plans to extend the categories of patients entitled to receive non-standard National Health Service hearing aids.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergA programme was started in July 1980 to extend the standard range of National Health Service hearing aids by the introduction of three new series of high powered aids. Since then health authorities have had the discretion to supply, where necessary, a commercial hearing aid to patients of any age with exceptional medical needs, and to young people who had passed the age limit which previously applied. The extended range of NHS aids has now been introduced and is expected to cater for the needs of all but a small minority of patients. However, health authorities will be able to provide a commercial model for all patients whose needs cannot be met by an NHS aid.
§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each area health authority the waiting period between the prescription of a standard National Health Service hearing aid by an ear, nose and throat specialist and the receipt of the hearing aid by the patient.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergInformation about waiting periods is not held centrally.
§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many non-standard National Health Service hearing aids were issued by National Health Service clinics and other National Health authority channels in the year ending 31 December 1981; and at what cost.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergDuring the year ended 31 October 1981, the latest 12-monthly period for which records are held centrally, 2,300 non-standard NHS hearing aids were issued through NHS channels, at a total cost to the NHS of £228,000. These aids were provided to the patients where a standard aid or its interim alternative was not considered appropriate. They were made available under contracts negotiated centrally by the Department. In addition to these, other non standard aids were purchased by individual health authorities under local arrangements, but no details are held centrally of the numbers or costs involved.