§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Liverpool prison has been without the services of an optician for eight months; and why it was four months before the vacancy was advertised.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe visiting optician to Liverpool prison resigned without notice last October. Local medical management sought to arrange a temporary appointment but experienced difficulty in identifying a suitable optician. In the meantime, the matter was referred to prison service headquarters for local advertising to be arranged. Regrettably, the advertisements were considerably delayed by staff sickness and work pressures in the personnel division concerned.
Throughout the period in which the prison was without the service of a visiting optician, optical referrals were made as appropriate to the visiting consultant ophthalmologist.
A visiting optician has now been appointed and commenced work on 23 May.
§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure is used to ensure that prisoners can have eye examinations.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggA prisoner who requests optical treatment will be examined by the medical officer who will refer him to the optician if he considers that to be medically appropriate.
§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons are currently without the services of an optician.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe Department is not aware that any establishment is without such a service.