§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hearing therapists are currently employed by health authorities; by how many he expects the number to increase in each of the next three years; and if he will list the authorities which so far have no hearing therapist in post.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergInformation available to the Department indicates that 20 trained hearing therapists are in post in England. Nine students including one from Wales are on the current course at the city centre for the deaf and 10 are expected on the 1982–83 course. Arrangements for subsequent years will take account of the findings of an evaluation study into the role and training of hearing therapists which should be available in the autumn.
After completing their training the 20 therapists took posts with the following area health authorities:
- Bedfordshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Camden and Islington
- Cleveland (2)
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- Croydon
- Dorset
- Essex
- Hampshire
- Kensington Chelsea and Westminster
- Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham
- Lancashire
258 - Leicestershire
- Manchester
- Merton Sutton and Wandsworth
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Nottinghamshire
and the board of governors of the Royal National throat nose and ear hospital. No details are held centrally of any subsequent moves.
Students from the following area health authorities in England are on the current course:
- Brent and Harrow
- Durham
- Hertfordshire
- Norfolk
- Oxfordshire
- Salford
- Sefton
- Wirral