I was right about disabled aids

I'd like to reply to the letter last week saying we were wrong to say that the kinds of assistive technology we were describing in our article are only free if provided by a health authority and not if it provided by social services ("'Home help' was unhelpful",

7 May, page 22). The Department of Health has confirmed that what we said in the article is correct and that circular LAC (2003) 14, which took effect from June 2003, applies to social services as well as health authorities.

It says: "Any item of community equipment that a person (or their carer) is assessed as needing as a community care service, and for which the individual (or their carer) is eligible, is required to be provided free of charge. All minor adaptations costing £1000 or less (which includes buying and fitting the adaptations) are required to be provided free of charge". The department's integrated community services division's website, www.icesdoh.org, gives further details.