Mr. Carter-Jonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what change in structure and organisation of the limb fitting service have taken place in his Department (a) in the year prior to the establishment of the McColl committee, (b) during the working of the McColl committee and (c) since the publication of the McColl report; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonIt would have been premature to make organisational changes in the artificial limb service immediately before the working party was set up or while it was sitting. Some important improvements in the service not requiring reorganisation, such as the introduction of the new light-weight limb systems, were nevertheless made. We do not expect to make decisions on major changes before the completion of consultations which are currently in progress and initial work being carried out under the direction of the National Health Service management board. As an interim measure we have created a senior post—general manager of disablement services—to be responsible for carrying this work forward without delay and to be accountable to the board for the operation of the services of artificial limb and appliance centres.