§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many complaints his Department has received about ill-fitting artificial limbs for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. NewtonThe number of complaints about ill-fitting limbs referred to Ministers is as follows:
Number 1979 5 1980 6 1981 2 1982 3 1983 6 1984 5 1985 8 No record is kept centrally of complaints made direct to artificial limb and appliance centres.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what checks are undertaken by his Department on the standard of work carried out by prosthetists.
§ Mr. NewtonThe supervision of prosthetic standards is one of the responsibilities of medical officers employed in the aritificial limb service in England. They allocate each patient to a particular limb contractor, and examine new limbs and sockets to ensure that they conform to the prescription and are an accurate and comfortable fit before delivery is accepted.