§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if his Department intends to review the training of audiology staff with a view to creating a specialism in hearing aid fitting;
(2) whether he will introduce a training course for general practitioners to increase their knowledge of hearing loss.
§ Mr. FreemanI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, West and Torridge (Miss Nicholson) on 27 July.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to different local arrangements for the delivery of hearing aid services within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. FreemanWe are aware that some health authorities are already operating various schemes 989W involving alternative methods of delivery of hearing aid services, including direct referral to audiology services. We propose to set in train a programme of action to increase the number of such direct referral schemes, together with appropriate methods of monitoring and evaluating them. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, West and Torridge (Miss Nicholson) on 27 July.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to the usage of hearing aids after being dispensed.
§ Mr. FreemanPrecise information is not held centrally. A national study of hearing by the Medical Research Council indicates that about one fifth of those who have hearing aids do not use them.