(2) if he will issue guidance to dispensing appliance contractors on how to prioritise those patients who should receive a stoma customisation service in the event of a volume cap being placed on this service.
During the course of this review there have been meetings with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform—formerly the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Lord Sainsbury represented the DTI. These covered all aspects of the review, including reimbursement for items.
There have been no discussions with the Office of Fair Trading specifically about the potential impact of the proposed reimbursement for items, although it is aware of the review taking place.
It is premature to decide if any guidance should be issued to dispensing appliance contractors regarding any aspect of the proposed service provision, as the review is ongoing.