§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) which health districts in England have stopped providing tinnitus masking devices to National Health Service patients; and how many patients have been affected;
(2) what is the average cost of providing masking devices for the treatment of tinnitus; and whether his Department issues guidelines or criteria to be satisfied before National Health Service provision can be entertained;
(3) how many tinnitus masking devices have been made available to National Health Service patients in each of the health regions of England.
§ Mr. John PattenThe provision of a masking device as a form of treatment for a particular patient suffering from tinnitus would be a matter for the clinical judgment of the consultant concerned. However this is a relatively new form of treatment, still subject to research. I am advised there is not yet general agreement about the extent of its effectiveness compared to other forms of treatment for particular types of patient. Central guidance at this stage of development would be premature therefore. A multicentre field trial, funded by the Department, is now being evaluated. We have no central information on how many maskers are being provided, their cost or the districts concerned.