14 October 2016

Call for NICE to review cochlear implant funding guidance

The Ear Foundation has called on NICE to update guidance on which patients qualify for NHS funded cochlear implants (CIs)

Unveiled this Wednesday at an event at Westminster Central Hall, the Improving access to cochlear implantation: Change lives and save society money report suggests that the current eligibility criteria for NHS CIs is the most restrictive in Western Europe. The charity has called for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), the NHS body that evaluates the viability and costs of medical instruments, to review the evidence and make it easier for people to access CIs.

NCHA Policy Officer Jakob Stenkvist, who attended the launch, said: “The Ear Foundation has made a case for reviewing existing guidelines. The challenge however is not just for NICE to change thresholds, but for hearing care professionals to refer patients that are already eligible. This is not yet happening, and the NCHA will work with partners to address this”