HC Deb 12 June 2003 vol 406 cc1077-8W
Mr. Paterson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is for a hearing aid appointment at(a) the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and (b) the Princess Royal Hospital. [117598]

Jacqui Smith

[holding answer 10 June 2003]: Although the Department does not collect information on waiting times for hearing aid services centrally, the Royal National Institute for the Deals modernising hearing aid services project management team informs us that the out-patient waiting time in Shropshire for new patients, from general practitioner referral to having a hearing aid fitted is between 12 and 15 months. The waiting time is the same for both of the hospitals mentioned. Shropshire is currently negotiating to extend the private sector pilot, making use of high street hearing aid dispensers to increase NHS capacity, and reduce waiting times.