P-05-817 Specialist prosthetics for child amputees, Correspondence – Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee to Committee, 15.05.19

Our commissioning position on sports blades for paediatrics remains unchanged and they are not currently commissioned by Welsh Health Specialised Services (WHSSC). 

However, we have recently been asked by the Chief Therapies Advisor in Welsh Government to prepare a business case to identify the funds required for to provide paediatric sports blades within Wales. I have met with the three services who have identified the staffing requirements, component costs and predicted patient numbers. Some modelling work and a procurement exercise is required to understand the cost of the blades over a patient’s lifetime as we would not envisage that a patient’s access to blades would cease once they become adults, particularly if they have been utilising them throughout their childhood. We would also write a service specification or policy which sets out the standards for commissioning the service.  

I have relayed this information back to the chief Therapies Advisor who has asked us to proceed with this work so that a full business case can be considered.

I hope you agree that this is a positive update although further work is required until any service is in place.