19 June 2014

Commission on Hearing Loss takes place in the House of Lords

The International Longevity Centre called on hearing care representatives this week to contribute to their study of the “significant and growing problem of hearing loss in the UK”.

The NCHA and BSHAA jointly gave oral evidence at the final session of the International Longevity Centre’s Greengross Commission on Hearing Loss at the House of Lords on 17 June.

NCHA Chief Executive David Hewlett highlighted the transparency about quality and outcomes that the AQP pathway had brought but stressed that, more widely, CCGS were largely commissioning hearing services in the dark especially with regard to outcomes and quality. He called on the Commission to make clear recommendations to NHS England and the sector about what they could do – together – to improve this.

He said: “NHS England and CCGs cannot achieve change alone. It needs clear and united leadership from the sector, with clinical and patient groups working together, which is precisely what the Government means by an NHS which is clinically-led and patient-focussed.”

Designing flexible hearing care services

BSHAA President Barry Downes strongly echoed this calling for common patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) across the whole of hearing services to demonstrate, on patients’ own terms, that the hearing technology and support we provide are effective and high value.

“The whole of primary care needs to work with social care and local communities to provide a flexible network of support to help people live long, healthy, and independent lives in their communities" he said. "An ageing population needs access, empowerment and joined-up support.”

Drawing on 47 years’ experience in clinical practice he also called for more flexibility in commissioning models and the pathway to provide the ongoing support and rehabilitation which frontline clinicians know patients need to get the best outcomes in terms of hearing, communication and social inclusion.
Commissioning Hearing Support

The joint NCHA BSHAA commissioning guidance was also submitted as a first step in trying to assist commissioners to commission for outcomes and quality against assessed health needs.
The NCHA and BSHAA plans further updates to the guidance (with more provider data) later this year - ideally within a National Commissioning Framework for Hearing co-produced by NHS England, the Alliance on hearing Loss and Deafness (the sector) and CCGs for which the NCHA and BSHAA have been calling.

Download a copy of the written evidence submitted to the Greengross Commission by the NCHA

Download a copy of the written evidence submitted by the BSHAA