§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what support his Department is giving to 73W the bio-engineering department at Salford university; and if he will name the orthopaedic consultant directly involved and the professor-in-charge at the unit.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeOur Department's support of the orthopaedic appliance unit at Salford university for the development of a swivel walker wheelchair combination to enable adult paraplegics to get up and sit down came to an end in the Autumn of 1983. The Unit is part of the department of orthopaedic mechanics under the direction of Professor J. Edwards. The post of medical director of the unit has recently been filled by Mr. Jonathan Noble, who replaced Mr. J. C. Griffiths who died a year earlier.
We are willing to consider a further request for support for this work when one is put to us. A proposal for the evaluation of new orthopaedic splinting materials by the University is presently under consideration in our Department.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will encourage and support co-operation and collaboration in general terms between consultants and engineers at all bio-engineering units; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeYes; our Department already encourages such activity. There should be close collaboration between bioengineers and consultants and this presents no problem when the bioengineering units are within a hospital. When the unit is in a university the director of the unit will need to make arrangements with appropriate consultants to be available generally for advice or specifically on research and development or evaluation projects. Detailed arrangements would need to be worked out locally by the university, health authority, engineers and consultants concerned.
When a bioengineering unit is given a centrally funded contract a consultant is nominated to provide the necessary clinical oversight on that project.