§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department has taken in response to the recommendations made in the Audit Commission's Fully Equipped report on the provision of disability equipment services for older and disabled people; and if he will make a statement. [66263]
§ Jacqui SmithFollowing up its 2000 report 'Fully Equipped', the Audit Commission published 'Fully Equipped 2002' on 27 June 2002. The latter recognises the steps the Government took in response to the first. As an initial response to the new report, I am asking the national support team for the integration of community equipment services to review its action plan in the light of the Commission's recommendations and to produce commissioning guidelines for community equipment services by the autumn. Since the first report was issued the process of modernising hearing aid services has progressed to the point that about a third of the country will be benefiting from a modernised service, including the provision of digital hearing aids, by the end of this financial year. Work is also underway to spread good practice across the country's wheelchair services.
The report affords a welcome opportunity to: remind health and social services of the importance of orthotic, prosthetic, community equipment, wheelchair and audiology services; encourage commissioners of these services to act upon the recommendations; and highlight the importance of using appropriately the additional funding the Government made available for community equipment services.