Audiology Hearing services

This consultation is now closed. Keep updated on what's happening by visiting this page for updates on results from the consultation and next steps.

Initial results from the consultation

A 12 week consultation was held throughout Cambridgeshire to inform and gain views from local residents about changes to hearing (Direct Access Audiology) services in the county. A wide range of views were expressed from local hearing groups including CAMTAD, The Hard of Hearing Club, Local Sensory Services, CrossRoads Care, GP patient groups and a number of other groups including residential homes. A survey went out to 3,000 users of hearing services to find out what people thought about the proposals and what they value about the current services. Early indicators show that over 800 survey responses have been received.

Next steps

NHS Cambridgeshire shall be taking everyone's comments on board over the coming months and building this into the specification for the delivery of the new service ensuring residents views have been taken into account. An independent research company shall be reviewing and collating all the results. Recommendations from the consultation will be presented to the NHS Cambridgeshire Board in July 2010. Results from the consultation including residents' comments will be posted here on our website.  

About this consultation

NHS Cambridgeshire - which spends £750 million every year buying healthcare on behalf of the 613,256 residents of Cambridgeshire - wants to ensure that all Direct Access Audiology (hearing aid) services are safe, effective and respond to your needs.

We also want to make sure that the standard and quality of Direct Access Audiology services are the same for everyone – wherever you may live in Cambridgeshire. (*Direct Access Audiology is the term which refers to the provision of hearing services throughout this document). We constantly review all our contracts and we are now focusing on improving and simplifying the way we organise our Audiology providers.

What is Direct Access Audiology?

Direct Access Audiology is a service for patients with hearing difficulties, referred by their GP for the assessment and testing of hearing, and, if appropriate, the fitting and ongoing maintenance of hearing aid(s). Most hearing difficulties are age related which is the slow loss of hearing that occurs as people get older. Some younger people may also experience hearing difficulties.

Adults who experience rapid or sudden hearing loss (at any age) should not be referred to Direct Access Audiology services, but referred urgently by their GP to the hospital for more specialist assessment.

This consultation is asking for your help in improving Direct Access Audiology services for people with hearing difficulties.

Why is NHS Cambridgeshire consulting – why is it important?

We have a legal duty to consult with our residents. More importantly, NHS Cambridgeshire wants to understand patients views of the current service and what could make a better service.

More information

The draft summary of the proposed specification for the new service is set out below in related documents. This summary was provided at a suppliers' conference back in March 2010 as a preliminary event to scope out potential providers for the proposed service. The final specification shall be informed from the results from the public consultation and shall be available in June 2010.

Find below in the links section the Department of Health's national guidelines for best practice around improving hearing services which NHS Cambridgeshire is using as a benchmark for the proposed specification.

If you have any questions about this consultation or what is happening next please call FREEPHONE 0800 279 2535 or 01223 725588 or by e-mail: yourviews@cambridgeshire.nhs.uk