issued, after any necessary medical examination, in the same way as a prescription for a new appliance, and the work will be done by the firm with which the ospital
als. Minor defects, however, c.g., a broken buckle or a worn-out boot sole need not be referred to hospitals since a needless burden would thus be placed on the Hospital Service if new prescriptions had to be issued in all such cases. Patients should therefore, take or send the appliance in such cases to the Ministry of Pensions Rogional Office or sub-Office which will arrange to have the repair done and the appliance returned to the patient. If the Ministry of Pensions think there is any reason that a medical opinion should be obtained they will return the appliance and ask him to go to a hospital.
Appliances will be supplied in duplicate when
(a) the patient if he were dependent upon one appliance would, when that appliance became unserviceable, be unable to continue his employment or would otherwise suffer undục hardship;
(t) the occasional or alternative use of two appliances is desirable on
medical grounds. Typical examples of such appliances are artificial limbs, surgical boots and shoes, and artificial syar
The Kinistry of Pensions hos acquired a great deal of experience in providing and repairing libs for pensioners and others. These arrangements are now available for the benefit of all patients requiring limbs and frequently, therefore, a hospital will refer a patient who requires a limb to the local Limb Fitting Centre of the Ministry of Punsions. Users of wheeled chairs will also, for the same reason, cfton be referred to the Ministry of Pensions local office.
When appliances of a type and standard which is provided free under the National Health Service had been ordered at a hospital before the Service started but had not yet been delivered, the hospital will not recover any further charge from the patient but will not be able to refund to him any suns he has already paid. Appliances ordered privately before the 5th July, 1948 ust be paid for by the patients who ordered them,
Ministry of Health, Whitehall,
S.W.1.
October, 1948.
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