§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the total funding allocated to relevant Scottish health boards for cochlear implant operations; and what funds will be made available in the next three years;
660W(2) if he will list the total number of cochlear implant operations which were conducted in Scotland in the last three years; and what assessment has been made of the current waiting list.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Government announced their decision in 1990 to allocate £200,000 over the next three years to establish a cochlear implant programme in Scotland. £150,000 per annum has been allocated to Ayrshire and Arran health board to enable the service already initiated there through public support to be developed and consolidated. £50,000 per annum has also been allocated to Lothian health board to establish a second implant centre for Scotland.
A total of 20 cochlear implant operations have been conducted in Scotland to date. Charitable funding had allowed seven operations to take place at Crosshouse hospital, Kilmarnock prior to central funding in 1990–91. Central funding will enable eight implants per year to be undertaken at Crosshouse hospital and three implant operations per annum in Lothian. A further three operations are expected to be carried out at Crosshouse hospital per annum from charitable funds.
There are currently six people on the short-term waiting list for cochlear implant at Crosshouse hospital who are categorised as urgent cases. The board has also assessed a further 30 people who would be expected to benefit from an implant and another 64 who are considered to be low priority cases in terms of expected benefit. At present Lothian health board has identified six people as suitable for cochlear implant. The board expects to undertake three of these operations before March 1992.