28 November 2025

NCHA member update – 28 November

This month:

• HCPC updates 
• Opportunity to provide audiology capacity to NHS
• Kingdon review ‘a wake-up call' for paediatric audiology
• Global study shows links between sensory loss and health conditions
• Many people would try DIY audiology
• Scotland rolls out bedside test to identify babies at risk of hearing loss
• Ear to the ground
• Policy news

HCPC updates

The HCPC council is consulting on changes to standards of education and training (SETs), a key part of its statutory role to protect the public. The new standards include requirements for embedding EDI practices and keeping up to date with emerging technologies. We will be responding to the consultation. Please send any feedback by the end of January to [email protected].

The HCPC has also published a proficiency document for international applicants, allowing new applicants to map their qualifications, experience and training against its professional standards before applying. If international applicants cannot demonstrate that they can meet the standards, the council will refer them for a competence test.

Opportunity to provide audiology capacity to NHS

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a preliminary market engagement exercise to explore opportunities for the independent sector (IS) to support the NHS in delivering diagnostic services and reducing waiting lists.

The engagement seeks to understand how IS providers can help the NHS return to constitutional standards for diagnostics (99% of patients receiving a diagnostic test within six weeks by March 2029). The NHS estimates that 35% of the additional diagnostic capacity in the next four years must come from the independent sector, equating to about two million tests.

Audiology assessments are among the diagnostic tests the NHS is struggling to deliver on time, so members might wish to explore this as an opportunity to support NHS patients.

The engagement is open to all companies involved in healthcare diagnostics and related services. The market engagement closes at midday on 18 December. You can find further details here.

Kingdon review 'a wake-up call' for paediatric audiology

Dr Camilla Kingdon published her review of children's hearing services, which the government commissioned in response to the NHS Paediatric Children's Improvement Programme's slow progress in implementing change.

The review found systemic failures that left at least 300 babies and children with undiagnosed hearing problems, causing lifelong developmental harm. It also found that children identified as at risk had not been recalled quickly enough for a review appointment. It said that the audiology workforce had a low profile and had been "neglected for years".

The report, described by various sector bodies as a wake-up call, makes 12 recommendations, including creating a single professional register for all audiologists, enhancing training and career pathways, and establishing robust oversight and transparent processes for addressing service failures.

Read more in Clarity. You can also read the NCHA response here.

Global study shows links between sensory loss and health conditions

A global analysis of the interaction between hearing loss and chronic illnesses found a steep rise in hearing loss in adults aged 45 and a powerful association between hearing loss and strokes.

It also found a link with hearing loss and depression, underlying the need to integrate hearing care into the routine management of chronic diseases. Read more in Clarity.

Many people would try DIY audiology

A National Institute for Health and Care Research study on whether adults would be willing to test their hearing and fit themselves with pre-programmed hearing aids has found that most people are open to the idea. Lead author Professor Kevin Munro said: "This could increase choice and shift care closer to home."

However, given a choice, more than half of people still said their preferred pathway was to see an audiologist, with older people more likely to worry about managing their own hearing technology. Read more in Clarity.

Scotland rolls out bedside test to identify babies at risk of hearing loss

A rapid cot-side genetic test is being introduced in Scotland to identify babies at risk of antibiotic-related hearing loss.

Doctors often prescribe the antibiotic gentamicin to babies born early who develop infections. For a small number of people who carry a specific genetic variant, it can cause permanent hearing loss.

Ryan Cooper, point of care testing lead at National Services Scotland, said: "This simple and gentle test gives us the ability to protect babies from avoidable harm and hearing loss right from the very start of their lives." Read more. 

Ear to the ground

• The NCHA was sad to hear of the death of Dr Mead Killion, founder of Etymotic Research and creator of many products to measure, improve and protect hearing. Read his obituary
• The RNID showcased the latest research on treatments for hearing loss and tinnitus at its annual Hearing Therapeutics Summit
• The television presenter Kirsty Gallacher has joined Tinnitus UK as an ambassador. Read more
• The British Academy of Audiology presented awards for audiology at its annual conference in Telford  
• The NDCS is seeking an audiology adviser to work on information and advice for families and professionals. Find out more
• A UCL Ear Institute team has received a £1 million award to develop AI-based hearing technologies. Read more
• The GB Deaflympics Team finished in 11^th place in the medals table at the event in Japan, with five gold medals. Read more

Policy news

Primary care investment 'would help reduce waiting lists'

The Public Accounts Committee reported that NHS England had failed to meet its elective care targets "by significant margins", warning that many people were still waiting too long for treatment.
The committee criticised the absence of a clear, funded plan to tackle waiting lists, particularly for diagnostic tests.

The latest NHS England figures show that in September, 45.4% of patients waiting for an audiological assessment were waiting six weeks or more, the second highest proportion of the 15 diagnostic tests, and 617,531 people were waiting for ENT treatment. Read more in Clarity.

Budget
 
This week's Budget was relatively light on issues related to health and social care. A day before the Budget, the chancellor announced a doubling down on the drive to cut elective waiting lists after the Public Accounts Committee reported that targets had been missed "by significant margins".

Rachel Reeves announced 250 new neighbourhood health centres, partly funded by public-private partnerships, and £300 million capital investment in NHS technology, both measures aimed at cutting waiting lists.

The principal Budget announcement for the business sector was the rebalancing of the business rates system, which the Treasury hopes will benefit high street businesses. The other headline announcement was an increase in the minimum wage.

The government will introduce new permanently lower retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) multipliers, which will apply to eligible properties with rateable values below £500,000 from next April.

However, there will also be a new high-value multiplier for properties with rateable values of £500,000 or more, although the government has also announced a business rates support package for sectors hit hardest by revaluations from April 2026.

The National Living Wage will rise by 4.1% to £12.71 from April 2026, and the rate for younger earners will increase by 8.5% to £10.85, which is likely to affect all pay bands and put further pressure on healthcare services, especially where NHS care is already underfunded.

Extending the freeze on income tax and NI thresholds means that, as wages increase with inflation, more employees (or owner-managers drawing a salary) may be pushed into higher tax bands.
 
Government abandons day-one unfair dismissal rights
 
The government has decided against implementing its manifesto commitment to give all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from day one of their job. They now plan to introduce this right from six months, compared to two years at present. The BBC reports that most unions were comfortable with the change.