§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what quantity of form GOS 2 (R), National Health Service repair and replacement of spectacles voucher application, was printed with(a) words indicating or implying that full-time students under 19 years would be eligible for free repairs without family practitioner committee approval and (b) prescription details requiring left eye before right; and if he will make a statement outlining what advice he has given to opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners regarding these errors;
(2) what quantity of form GOS (V), National Health Service spectacle voucher applications, has been printed requiring left eye to be entered before right; and what advice he has given to opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners as to how to deal with this error;
(3) what quantity of form GOS (P), patient's prescription/statement, was printed showing left eye first, right eye second, if he will make a statement as to what advice he has given to opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners as to how to deal with this error; and how the advice has been conveyed;
(4) what was the cost of the new forms relating to eye examinations which were printed with errors, GOS(P), GOS2(R) and GOS(V); and who will bear the cost of any mistakes or confusion which arise as a consequence of these printing errors;
(5) on what date family practitioner committees received the forms which were needed by opticians for use on 1 April;
(6) whether he intends to continue to use forms GOS(ST)A and GOS(P) in their present design which makes it impossible to use carbon paper for information required to be duplicated on each form.
§ Mr. MellorThe revised GOS forms were delivered to family practitioner committees on Monday 19 March.
A total of 150,000 copies of forms GOS(P), GOS(V) and GOS2(R) were printed transposing left and right eye prescription details. FPCs were advised of this on 31 March in a letter which asked them to inform contractors to amend the forms manually until reprinted versions were available. Two million forms GOS2(R) were printed stating that students could have repairs made without reference to the FPC. A health circular and family practitioner notice has been issued advising health authorities and FPCs of this error.
The design of forms GOS(ST) A and GOS(P) will be revised as soon as possible.
Information on the cost of printing forms GOS(P), GOS2(R) and GOS(V) is not currently available. The cost of reprinting will be met by the Department.