§ Lord Clement-Jonesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the statement about the National Health Service provision of digital hearing aids by John Hutton MP, Minister of State for Health, to Dr Evan Harris MP in a letter dated 3 May that "we will study the results of the project and will roll out the changes to the rest of the National Health Service in a planned and systematic way which will benefit everyone who uses the National Health Service hearing aid services" is consistent with the statement made by Jacqui Smith MP, Minister of State for Health, in HC Deb, 13 November, 685W that "Planning and decisions on modernisation and associated funding and resources are being kept under review until further data can start to be taken into account". [HL1813]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathYes. The Modernising Hearing Aid Services Project is being evaluated by the Institute of Hearing Research to provide information on the most effective hearing aids for National Health 195WA Service patients, the best ways to supply hearing aids and how a modern hearing aid service can best be delivered to NHS patients. The Department of Health has received interim reports based on data collected from a relatively small sample of patients. The evaluation is still ongoing and the final full evaluation report will be available next year. Decisions on how best to spread the modernised services throughout the NHS will be made as the results of the evaluation emerge. In the meantime, we have earmarked funds to begin roll-out of a modernised service and have said that up to £25 million will be invested by 2003–04.