§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has (1) to introduce national schemes to promote the training and recruitment of prosthetic and orthotic technicians; [122340]
(2) to restore apprenticeship schemes in the NHS for prosthetic and orthotic technicians. [122342]
§ Mr. DenhamThe training and recruitment of prosthetic and orthotic technicians are the responsibility of local National Health Service employers.
The recently published "Review of Workforce Planning" acknowledges that there are a number of staff groups playing important roles in service delivery who currently sit outside mainstream workforce planning and funding arrangements. The review states that it is important that their training and development needs are properly identified and considered.
A National Advisory Group has begun work to determine the current profile of the orthotist and prosthetist workforce and education arrangements. The analysis will include consideration of the number, training and role of orthotic and prosthetic technicians.