§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how he will distribute the current central funding of artificial limb and appliance centre services to individual health boards as from 1 April 1996; [2134]
(2) if he will list the organisations he consulted about his decision to devolve the provision and funding of artificial limb and appliance centre services from the Common Services Agency to local health boards in Scotland with effect from 1 April 1996. [2131]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonALAC services are not a designated national service and have been purchased centrally on a temporary basis for only two years. The national services division of the Common Services Agency which is responsible for centrally purchased services set up a working group in early 1995 to look at582W the future provision of these services. The working group was made up of representatives from trusts, health boards and artificial limb and appliance centres; from training, therapy, supplies and primary care interests; and a consumer sub-group and a consultation network. It concluded that funding for ALAC services should be devolved to health boards, a recommendation that I have approved.
The funding of artificial limb and appliance centres will be returned to boards in 1996–97 through the weighted capitation formula and notification of the notional allocation for each board will be included in the financial allocations for 1996–97.