14 November 2015

CCG decides not to proceed with Audiology proposals

The NHS North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has decided not to proceed with its proposals to restrict the issuing of NHS funded hearing aids for individuals with a mild hearing loss.

The CCG had considered not providing NHS funded hearing aids unless people had a hearing loss of at least 37 decibels. The decision follows a six week period of engagement across north east Essex. The CCG has reviewed the feedback received from its local communities, patients, carers, hearing loss support groups, local and national experts as well as providers of this service and following further clinical discussion we now believe that implementing this proposal could have the potential to adversely impact on the quality of life for a large proportion of individuals living with mild hearing loss across north east Essex. We will however continue to explore other ways of providing this service in a more cost effective way. NHS England is co-producing a National Commissioning Framework for hearing services which will help us with our commissioning decisions in the future.

NHS North East Essex CCG is required to save £14m each year for the next four years. In January 2016, it will be holding its second Big Care Debate – seeking views from the public on their experiences of accessing health and social care services across north east Essex and highlighting areas for even greater efficiency in the future.