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Dept of Health

Answer

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the estimated cost of a full-length active prosthetic arm is within the NHS; [179077] (2) if he will make a statement on NHS procedures for fitting individuals without arms with active prosthetic arms; [179078] (3) if he will make a statement on NHS multidisciplinary teams trained to work with multiple limb disability; [179094] (4) what active upper limb prosthetics are available through the NHS; and how many users there are. [179097] Dr. Ladyman: It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community, including the provision of prosthetic services and multidisciplinary teams to work with multiple limb disability. Patients are encouraged to discuss the prosthetic limb prescription with the prosthetist and the wider healthcare team concerned. Multidisciplinary assessment focuses on the needs of individual patients and enables patients to actively contribute to the decision making process. The national health service has available to it, via contracts negotiated by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, virtually everything that is available on the international market The table shows the three general types of full-length active prosthetic arms available within the NHS. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Type Total cost-- components only (£) Upper extremity prosthesis--full arm-- mechanical hand 1,250.00 to 1,500.00 Upper extremity prosthesis--full arm--electric hand 3,600.00 to 4,000.00 Upper extremity prosthesis--full arm--electric hand, wrist and 18,000.00 to 25,000.00 digital elbow system _________________________________________________________________________________________________. We do not hold figures centrally for the number of users.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

423 c416W; 179077;179078;179094;179097

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Disability Costs Health services NHS Patients Staff Training Prosthetics

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk