HC Deb 14 March 1984 vol 56 cc186-7W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the last three formal complaints regarding the provision or repair of wheelchairs to be made at each of the appliance centres at Kingston, Exeter and Nottingham.

Mr. Newton

The details are as follows:

one and 14 days to deliver following receipt of form AOF 5G, and of the number which took 15 to 28 days, 29 to 42 days and over 42 days.

Mr. Newton

The following table gives the available information for the last week in April in each of the past three years:

Centre 1–14 days 15–28 days 29–42 days over 42 days
1981 1982 1983 1981 1982 1983 1981 1982 1983 1981 1982 1983
Birmingham 202 219 25 9 6 3 4 4
Brighton 90 52 10 2 0 0 0 2
Bristol 71 71 9 6 1 7 1 1
Cambridge 164 163 24 16 3 6 3 2
Cleveland 50 86 6 2 2 0 1 1
Exeter 64 75 8 0 2 0 6 2
Gillingham 69 62 10 3 2 0 0 0
Harold Wood 52 76 20 5 6 0 2 1
Kingston 101 71 38 25 14 2 9 3
Leeds 56 27 24 4 1 3 4 5
Liverpool 35 66 42 13 11 2 5 3
Manchester 131 110 43 6 4 3 1 0
Newcastle 91 90 8 6 3 4 0 1
Nottingham 167 111 59 6 9 0 0 0
Oxford 119 4 1 1
Portsmouth 79 61 9 2 3 0 2 0
Preston 28 68 2 3 3 1 0 0
Sheffield 120 105 5 9 3 1 2 1
Total 1,178 1,570 1,632 451 342 121 70 73 33 72 40 27

Note:

Subcentre figures included in those for parent centre. Figures for individual centres not available in 1981. Figures for Oxford not available in 1982.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of any penalties which companies supplying wheelchairs may incur for the late delivery of ordered items.

Mr. Newton

A penalty is usually imposed for the late delivery of wheelchairs specially modified to meet individual requirements. This amounts to 1 per cent. of the price for each working day beyond a negotiated delivery date, except for one model where it is 2.5 per cent. for each week overdue up to a maximum of 10 per cent.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of how many contractors under separate ownership supply the wheelchair service, the percentage of chairs each supplies, how much they were paid in 1982–83 and the basis for payment.

Mr. Newton

In 1982–83 two manufacturers under separate ownership each supplied roughly a third of the wheelchairs purchased by the Department. The remainder were supplied by eight further manufacturers. Other equipment for the wheelchair service was brought from 80 suppliers. The firms were paid some £4.0 million for wheelchairs, £2.0 million for accessories, and £4.3 million for spares. This does not include repairs, reconditioning or transport. The price for wheelchairs made to departmental specifications was based on competitive tender; that for proprietary chairs was negotiated.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what proportion of cases in which wheelchairs are supplied by his Department it is necessary for clients to visit an artificial limb and appliance centre or subcentre or an appliance centre or subcentre.

Mr. Newton

Patients are always medically examined at a centre before receiving powered wheelchairs, which constitute some 7 per cent. of those issued annually. Patients issued with a non-powered wheelchair are examined at a centre only when there are special problems. This happens in about 6 per cent. of cases.