29 November 2013

Community hearing services help improve quality

This week’s NHS RightCare report on variation in diagnostic services in the NHS celebrated the AQP model for adult hearing services, noting it had reduced inequalities in access and improved the quality of hearing services offered to all adults.

The report, “The NHS Atlas of Variation in Diagnostic Services: Reducing unwarranted variation to increase value and improve quality”, examines the quantity and quality of diagnostic services in different PCT (now CCG) areas across England.

The report notes:

“The implementation of the Any Qualified Provider (AQP) policy, which introduced a choice of provider services, has improved access to adult hearing services by reducing inequalities in access, and has improved the quality of hearing services offered to all adult patients.“

Whilst the report acknowledges the way in which AQP has delivered greater value to commissioners and patients of adult hearing services (AHS), there is still work to do. For example, despite this positive step forward, the report notes that in a third of PCTs (CCGs) the rate of AHS provision cannot be explained by local demography. Clearly, more needs to be done to make sure access is based on clinical need.

Variety the spice of strife?

On the cover note that accompanies the online version of the report, NHS England Chief Scientific Officer Sue Hill notes that the variation revealed in the RightCare maps are useful not “for the answers they provide but in the questions they raise.” The note goes on to ask “Why do commissioners in one locality commission over four times the number of audiology assessments per head of population than commissioners in another?”

NCHA Head of Policy, Harjit Sandhu, notes, “the RightCare report provides us with a useful overview of the current rate of audiology assessments in the NHS. We support the need for commissioners to make long-term plans for capacity development and hope this will be reflected in future commissioning decisions. There is a real need for patient organisations, commissioners and providers to come together and address current inequalities wherever they exist.

“Yet, we must not forget that The Atlas of Variation tells part of a complicated story. Research shows people wait far too long to take action on hearing loss. As well as tackling variation across England, we need to increase awareness about hearing loss and the detrimental impact it can have on wellbeing. If anybody struggles to access hearing care in the community or if commissioners would like to know more about how the NCHA can help, then they should email us at [email protected]”

More information

NHS RightCare is an influential national organisation, run via NHS England, that is focussed on increasing value in for patients and the wider population. You can visit their website to find out more information or go directly to the report page to download the Atlas of Variation in Diagnostic Services.

The NCHA has a publically available map on its website so commissioners and the public can see if NHS community hearing services (and the AQP schemes that support them) are available in their area.