Page 36 - Primary Care Audiology

Workforce, quality and

College of Audiology

To help ensure we deliver on our vision for the future of primary
care audiology we will lead on workforce analysis, development
and research, and work with sector partners to develop quality
in primary care audiology (Qi-PCA). We will also support the
sector in establishing an independent, transparent, accountable,
evidence-based College of Audiology founded on a robust
charter to work for the public benefit and which is accountable
to the Charity Commission.

Workforce

Audiology is an essential non-medical speciality that can offer
significant health and wellbeing benefits to patients and
populations. Audiologists, as skilled clinicians, can assess and
manage patients within their registered scope of practice, as well as
supervise trainees and junior staff. They should be the first point of
contact for accessing ear and hearing care in all localities, whether
on the high street, elsewhere in the community or in acute hospitals.

As with any healthcare workforce, planning capacity should be
based on population needs. However, owing to audiology being
incorrectly classified as a low-priority service, the profession has
experienced a lack of strategic planning and poor investment by
health services.
To overcome these issues and better align the workforce with
population needs, providers, training practices, hospitals and
higher education institutions (HEIs) now need to work together to
build a workforce that can meet growing patient demand in a safe,
effective and sustainable way.

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