§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people on family credit or income support received free eye tests in each district health authority area in England in each quarter of 1988–89 and in each quarter of 1989–90.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyStatistics prior to 1 April 1989 were not broken down by patient group. Since then family practitioner committees have collected data on sight tests paid for under the general ophthalmic services on a six-monthly basis. District health authorities do not collect such information. The table gives estimated numbers by patient group and regional health authority for the period in question:
NHS sight tests paid for during April-September 1989 Regional health authority Adults (IS-FC) Northern 40,000 Yorkshire 39,360 Trent 51,880 East Anglia 16,050 North West Thames 34,030 North East Thames 34,980 South East Thames 39,010 South West Thames 23,510 Wessex 29,390 Oxford 13,510 South Western 46,310 West Midlands 74,690 Mersey 27,810 North Western 60,160 These figures are based on a 2 per cent. sample of NHS sight test application forms processed by family practitioner committees. They do not take into account sight tests paid for after 1 April 1989 but conducted before that period.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with glaucoma and diabetes received free eye tests in England(a) in each quarter in 1988–89 and (b) in each quarter in 1989–90.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 13 June 1990]: Statistics prior to 1 April 1989 were not broken down by patient group. Since then family practitioner committees have collected data on sight tests paid for under the general ophthalmic services on a six-monthly basis. A total of 114,210 NHS sight tests for diabetes and glaucoma sufferers were paid for in England during the period 1 April to 30 September 1989. This figure is based on a 2 per cent. sample of NHS sight test application forms processed by family practitioner committees. It does not take into account sight tests paid for after 1 April 1989 but conducted before that period.