§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list those organisations which have submitted evidence to the working party chaired by Professor McColl reviewing artificial limb and appliance centre services; and how many individuals have submitted evidence;
(2) what steps were taken to inform voluntary organisations, professional bodies, private firms and individual users of artificial limb and appliance centre services of the existence of the working party chaired by Professor McColl and of the fact that they were welcome to submit evidence.
§ Mr. NewtonIn my reply of 10 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Sir H. Rossi) at column209, I indicated that the working party intended to invite views from organisations, companies and individuals with an interest in the services of artificial limb and appliance centres. This was repeated in a press release on the same day.
I understand that the working party has sent written invitations to submit evidence to about 350 bodies including professional associations, manufacturers and organisations representing disabled people, and to some 2,000 individual doctors and physiotherapists. Notices inviting evidence are displayed in all artificial limb and appliance centres. Professor McColl has expressed his willingness to receive evidence in a radio programme for disabled people, and general comments have been invited in letters addressed to a group of war pensioners whose 948W experience of the provision of appliances through centres is being surveyed. Independent publicity has been given to the review by the press and by interested organisations.
Written evidence has so far been received from nearly 500 individuals and well over 200 bodies, and I will send the hon. Member a list of the latter. I understand that Professor McColl and his colleagues will still welcome views from interested parties.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider sponsoring research akin to that carried out for him by Research Surveys of Great Britain regarding standards of artifical limbs to examine the degree of accuracy of wheelchair prescriptions and the extent to which there are adequate home visits after provision of a wheelchair to ensure that it has been correctly prescribed, that the recipient knows how to get the most out of it and that appropriate adaptations have been made and support services supplied.
§ Mr. NewtonI shall draw the suggestion to the attention of the working party which is reviewing the services provided by artificial limb and appliance centres.