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About us

The National Community Hearing Association (NCHA) is the professional representative body for community hearing care providers in the UK. We exist to improve hearing care for all and work with the NHS, health and social care bodies and policymakers to make this happen.

Our mission – better hearing care for all

Our goals are to work with partners to achieve better ear and hearing care for all by:

  • Ensuring ear and hearing care is recognised as a public health priority by the NHS and government
  • Ensuring everyone has access to primary care audiology in the same way as to GPs, dentistry, eye care and pharmacies based on personal choice
  • Breaking down barriers between primary, community and secondary care for the benefit of patients 
  • Supporting effective regulation of hearing care services
  • Ensuring we have the workforce, infrastructure and funding models to deliver excellence in hearing care for all.

Read our position statements.

How we work

The scale of our membership and our evidence-based approach to clinical, regulatory and health funding issues make us one of the most influential sector organisations. We partner with a wide range of stakeholders to improve services and hearing outcomes for individuals and communities. 

More about us

We are a not-for-profit membership and health policy organisation. We help individual, local, regional and national hearing providers to meet the country’s ear and hearing care needs. In addition, we support members with medical malpractice insurance, legal defence and advice and guidance on issues that affect hearing practices in the UK.

Our members advocate for ear and hearing care for all in their local communities and, through the NCHA, nationally.The National Community Hearing Association (NCHA) is the professional representative body for community hearing care providers in the UK. The NCHA and its members are committed to better hearing care for all.

 

NCHA Executive Team

Harjit Sandhu
Managing Director

Harjit is a health policy expert with special interests in health economics and health systems and brings a wide range of analytical, clinical and public health skills to his role.

David Hewlett
Director

David is a health analyst, policymaker and strategist with over 25 years' experience at a senior level in Whitehall at the Departments of Health & Social Security.

Alan Tinger
Regulatory Affairs

Alan leads on regulatory affairs, including professional liability, legal defence, regulation, finance and taxation. He is a chartered accountant and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute.

Legal defence partnership

We work in partnership with our independent lawyers, BLM and their dedicated Healthcare Regulatory team for the NCHA.

Rosie Shaprio
Partner and FODO Team Leader, London

Rosie heads up the London healthcare regulatory team at BLM and has overall responsibility for all cases handled by BLM on behalf of NCHA and its members. She's known for her excellent client handling skills and clear advice.

Adam Weston
Partner, London

Adam acts for NCHA in regulatory, disciplinary, inquest and represents audiologists before the HCPC. Adam also advises companies on policy compliance issues and internal investigations into concerns about staff misconduct, clinical competence and criminal complaints.

Lee Biddle
Associate, London

Lee advises on regulation, compliance and assists with fitness to practise investigations. He offers a unique insight into this, having worked previously with the legal team of a healthcare regulator progressing fitness to practise investigations.

Laura Smith
Associate, London

Laura qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and has been involved in Trust and NHS England disciplinary proceedings and has advised clients on data protection legislation.

Ewan Bright
Associate, London

Since joining BLM in 2010, Ewan has represented healthcare professionals before regulators, including the HCPC. His specialist interest is in advising on GDPR, privacy and harassment matters.

Clare Chapman
Partner, Manchester

Clare has worked on professional discipline issues in the healthcare sector for 19 years. She is head of BLM's professional discipline and regulation practice group.

Katie Costello
Partner, Manchester

With over 25 years' experience acting for healthcare professionals, including regulatory and disciplinary hearings, inquests, police interviews and criminal trials, there are few issues that Katie hasn't come across.

Rebecca Gowling
Associate, Manchester

Rebecca is highly experienced at acting for healthcare professionals in regulatory and disciplinary proceedings. She represents them before their regulators when they are the subject of regulatory investigations and appears as an advocate in interim orders proceedings.

Jane Lang
Partner, Cardiff

Jane is a healthcare specialist with extensive experience in acting for and advising healthcare practitioners through their defence organisations and on a private basis.

Employment law partnership

We work in partnership with WorkNest to provide our members with employment law and health and safety support.

Laura Chalkley
Solicitor

Laura is our employment law lead at WorkNest. Laura qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and specialises in advising SMEs and larger multi-site providers on employment law issues in healthcare and the charity sector. She is a member of the Employment Law Association and Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Head office team

Membership and support

Giusy Maniscalchi

PA to Harjit Sandhu

With over 10 years' administrative experience, Giusy takes pride in providing the highest quality admin support to the managing director as well as the Membership team and Finance.

Sue Silvester
PA to David Hewlett

Sue is an experienced PA, working for a visual impairment charity for more than 20 years before joining FODO Group in June 2018. When not at work, she loves spending time with family.

Rajan Verma
Insurance and Membership Officer

Rajan is the go-to person for members to gain advice and information on claims, cases, local level complaints and other matters, including GDPR queries.

Emily McCabe
Hearing health policy officer

Emily is a qualified audiologist and registered hearing aid dispenser, with an MSc from the University of Manchester. She has practiced in both the NHS and independent sector before moving to a policy role within the NCHA. She has special interest in clinical standards and making hearing services accessible for all.

Alistair Hyde
Policy Officer

Alistair is a health policy and public affairs professional, with a degree in Human, Social, and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge. His experience spans across Whitehall, local government, and the charity sector. His interest especially lies in improving the patient pathway for those with hearing loss.

Our Board

Peter Ormerod, Chair (2018 - present)

Mark Georgevic, Non-Executive Director (Chair 2013-2018)

Richard Boyd, Non-Executive Director

Echo Lu, Non-Executive Director

Stephen McAndrew, Non-Executive Director

Francesco Turriziani, Non-Executive Director

Steve Witts, Non-Executive Director

Harjit Sandhu, Group Managing Director

David Hewlett, Group Director

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The National Community Hearing Association (NCHA) is part of the FODO Group. We also support eye care providers in the UK and Ireland.

Job opportunities

To join our mailing list for jobs at the NCHA, please email [email protected]