Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total estimated cost, including(a) printing, (b) times and (c) staff, in the preparation of the booklet, "The Wheelchair Service", by the Southern Health and Social Services Council; which other area health boards and area health councils have already published documents on the Wheelchair Service; to what extent there is duplication amongst the documents; and if she will make a statement. [73572]
§ Mr. McFallThe total external cost of publishing the booklet "The Wheelchair Service—The Experiences and Perceptions of Users", is estimated at £4,800 shared equally between joint publishers, Southern Health and Social Services Board and Southern Health and Social Services Council. The project began in December 1997 and was completed in January 1999. Two members of staff from the Council and three board officers were involved in developing the booklet as part of their on-going responsibilities to commission and assess the service needs of their users. As an integral part of the Board's and Council's activities, the total staff time attributed to this project is estimated at 25 man-days over the 13 month period. A detailed breakdown of staff costs is not readily available.
The Western and Northern Health and Social Services Boards have carried out reviews of their commissioning arrangements for wheelchair services within the past three years. Reports of these reviews, which were conducted 824W as an integral part of the Board's activities, were not formally published. Whilst these reviews may have covered some of the same ground, they were specific to their respective areas and therefore cannot be considered to constitute any duplication.
The provision of wheelchairs appropriate to the needs of users and supplied by an efficient service is a key element in promoting the independence and mobility of people with disabilities. Their views are important in informing and shaping the services they use and this most recent survey has provided users, and their carers, with a vehicle for contributing to the improvement of a service upon which they greatly depend.