NCHA member update – 26 June
This week:
- Consultation on primary care audiology quality tool
- BIHIMA launches cross-sector audiology survey
- Mixed picture for NHS waiting times
- Partnership trials
- Hearing aid users feel the heat
- Ears to the ground
- Health policy
Consultation on primary care audiology quality tool
The NCHA Clinical Guidance Committee is consulting on a proposed quality- assurance toolkit for primary care audiology providers, called Quality in Primary Care Audiology (QiPCA).
QiPCA is a practical framework to support providers with evidence, governance and continuous improvement. It covers eight domains, including workforce, risk and clinical governance.
Jen Rock, NCHA’s audiology officer and project lead, said: “This easy-to-use tool will enable providers to demonstrate quality in a clear and evidence-based way, as is expected across other areas of healthcare, reassuring patients and commissioners that care is safe, effective and well-governed.”
The consultation focuses on the usability, clarity and value of the QiPCA framework as a provider-led quality improvement tool. It will run until 1 August. We would welcome your feedback.
Read more in Clarity.
BIHIMA launches cross-sector audiology survey
The British Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (BIHIMA) has launched its annual audiologist survey, inviting hearing care professionals across the UK and Ireland to share their experiences of a rapidly evolving sector.
The survey asks hearing care practitioners about working conditions, commissioning and care pathways, and the impact of NHS waiting lists, as well as their views on self-referral. BIHIMA will publish its analysis of the findings in a report later this year.
Read more in Clarity and complete the survey.
Mixed picture for NHS waiting times
New NHS England data on diagnostic testing shows that 42% of people were waiting six weeks or more to be seen for an NHS hearing assessment in April 2026, a slight increase from the same time last year. This is despite a 10.7% rise in audiology activity, indicating that on average NHS audiology departments are struggling to keep pace with rising demand for hearing care.
ENT departments met the 18-week referral-to-treatment target for just 58.3% of patients, although up three percentage points from the previous month. This remained well below the average for other specialities. The government announced in March that it had met its national interim target of treating 65% of patients within 18 weeks, but this was not consistent across specialities. Read more in Clarity
The mobile and broadband operator O2 has worked with the software provider Mavenir to trial new technology that delivers clearer phone calls for customers with hearing loss.
Participants used their existing phone and number, with the technology improving call clarity by tailoring the audio to their individual hearing needs in real time. Adjustments are based on a personalised hearing profile derived from the results of a short, automated hearing test.
Following the trial, nearly 90% of participants reported improved call clarity, making conversations feel easier to follow and leading to fewer misunderstandings, Virgin Media O2 reported.
Hearing aid users feel the heat
As temperatures in the UK reach record highs, the RNID has shared some tips on how to protect hearing aids from the heat.
In a series of Facebook images entitled ‘Five Ways to Protect Your Hearing Aids During the Heatwave’, the charity reminds hearing-aid users to use drying kits to prevent excessive moisture, which can affect sound quality, and to avoid leaving them in direct sunlight, which can damage the processor. Read more.
- HCPC is searching for a new chair to take over from Christine Elliott when she steps down. Learn more.
- UCL Ear Institute invites applications to four Master’s courses in audiology, with a scholarship also available. Find out more.
- Job opportunity opens for part-time lecturer in audiology (maternity cover) at UCL. Learn more.
- The 37th World Congress of Audiology took place in Seoul, with the next one to be hosted by the BAA in Edinburgh in 2028.
- Washington Post writer shares her experiences of losing her hearing suddenly at 32 and the emergency treatment that could have changed the outcome.
- Swansea University has developed free Deaf Awareness training for healthcare workers together with the organisation Deaf Communities across Wales. Read more.
- ArTanGent becomes UK’s first Safe Listening Festival in partnership with the Universities of Manchester, Nottingham and Derby. Read more.
- ENT & Audiology News reports on efforts to improve the safety of button batteries.
- Oxford audiology leader Dr Rachel Humphriss shortlisted for national honour, a healthcare award dedicated to an inspiring leader. Read more.
- Speech-in-noise difficulties may signal early brain changes in older adults before cognitive decline is detectable, study finds.
- The BSA is recruiting for several volunteer positions with deadlines ranging from 30 June to 31 August. Find out more and apply.
Prime Minister resigns
Keir Starmer confirmed this week that he would step down as Prime Minister and Labour leader, following the victory of Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election. He will remain in post while a leadership contest begins. The UK has now seen six prime ministers leave office over the past decade.
The Health Bill continued its progress through parliament, with several committee sessions on 23 and 25 June, continuing clause-by-clause examination. More than 140 amendments have already been proposed for the Bill, which will abolish NHS England.
The House of Lords held a debate this week on Healthcare Services: Acute, Primary and Community, in which they focused on pharmacy but also discussed the crisis in community care in general and its impact on the nation’s health.
The NCHA policy team continues to track the bill and take all necessary proactive steps to help protect and advance access audiology for all.
Report looks at role of clinical service companies
Audiology features in a new report called Clinical Services: Ones to Watch 2026, produced by Grant Thornton UK. It reviews the strategic opportunities for private providers, outside and within the NHS, recognising their vital role in supporting patients in their homes and local areas, ensuring accessible and continuous care outside traditional hospital settings.
The report focuses on providers who operate across the private sector, NHS, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Local Authorities (LAs), covering diagnostics, community and mental health, and NHS insourcing and outsourcing.