§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients suffered from sensory impairment, in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by sense. [122408]
§ Dr. LadymanFigures are not held centrally showing how many national health service patients with a sensory impairment are treated for conditions other than their impairment. The table shows the number of finished consultant episodes in 2001–02, for which the primary diagnosis was sensory loss. The figures given are very much an underestimate because they relate specifically to sensory loss. Many other conditions may well cause sensory loss, but that is not the primary diagnosis. For example, there were 265,123 finished consultant episodes in the same period for patients whose primary diagnosis was 'disorders of the lens', including cataracts.
Finished consultation episodes, 2001–02 Sense Number Hearing 3,285 Sight 424 Taste/smell 74 Touch 1,562 Notes:
1. A finished consultant episode is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes or be admitted several times within the year.
2. Figures in this table have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health.
§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of hospitals had(a) hearing volunteers to assist hearing impaired patients and (b) sight volunteers to assist sight impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122409]
(2) what percentage of hospitals used sign language interpreters for hearing impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122410]
(3) what percentage of hospitals used written communications designed for deaf-blind patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122411]
(4) what percentage of hospitals had access to (a) Type Talk and (b) Minicom services for hearing impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122412]
(5) what percentage of nurses were trained in communicating with sensory impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122413]
(6) if he will introduce a protocol for communicating with sensory impaired patients. [122445]
§ Dr. LadymanIn 1999, the Department of Health issued "Doubly Disabled: Equality for Disabled People in the New NHS Access to Services", to chief executives of health authorities and national health service trusts. This includes a section on providing good quality services for deaf and hard of hearing people. The NHS University (NHSU) is leading on the design and delivery of a disability equality training strategy for the NHS 547W workforce as part of the wider Department of Health human resources directorate's equalities and diversity delivery plan. As part of this work, NHSU will consider a protocol for communicating with sensory impaired patients. This strategy will also influence the strengthening of disabilities awareness within health professional education and training. Statistical information on the strategies adopted by hospitals in communicating with patients who have sensory impairments is not collected centrally.