Calls for a community audiology service to ease NHS pressure
AUDIOLOGISTS in Glasgow have joined calls for an NHS community hearing service, which could help relieve the pressures currently facing health boards.
Colleagues at Specsavers Trongate are encouraging the Scottish Government to speed-up plans to implement a national community audiology service, which was previously pledged in the NHS Recovery plan.
It’s hoped such a service would allow patients to access NHS funded hearing loss care on the high street, just like eye health services, rather than having to travel to hospital.
Delivering NHS community hearing services that are on a par with primary care services would help alleviate the ongoing waiting time and workforce pressures currently facing hospital audiology services in Scotland, while allowing patients to access hearing loss care closer to home.
Ryan Forbes, audiology partner at Specsavers Trongate, says:
'Patients across Scotland face long waiting lists for access to hearing tests and hearing aid fitting in hospitals.There are more than 6,800 people currently on a waiting list for an audiology appointment in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde alone, with patients waiting an average of 49 weeks to be seen. Coupled with additional factors, including an ageing population, demand for hearing loss assessment and treatment will only continue to grow, which is why it has never been more important for an NHS primary care audiology service to be introduced. By adopting a similar community model for audiology as already exists in optometry, it would add vital capacity to NHS services, while reducing waiting times and allowing patients to access treatment closer to home.'
'By adopting a similar community model for audiology as already exists in optometry, it would add vital capacity to NHS services, while reducing waiting times and allowing patients to access treatment closer to home.'
In its NHS Recovery plan, the Scottish Government previously committed to investing £200,000 to pilot enhanced community audiology services in 2021, with a view to develop community hearing services that are on par with primary care services by 2026.
On a visit to Specsavers Trongate on Friday (26 January 2024), Scottish Conservative’s shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP echoed the calls, urging ministers to take action in Scotland so patients with hearing issues can receive timely support in their local high street similar to services offered in England. He says:
'We have the capacity on our high streets here in Scotland. The Scottish Government knows this will relieve pressure on our NHS plus provide patients with a fast and convenient service. It is a cost-effective solution that is primed for implementation.'
Gordon Harrison, Director of Professional Advancement and Specsavers’ clinical lead for audiology, says:
'Specsavers practices across the country have fully qualified and highly skilled audiologists and state-of-the-art equipment ready to treat those with hearing loss. We are here to help everyone and we know we haven’t seen them all yet, which is why a national community audiology service is vital to ensuring we can support those who are in need.'
Specsavers is committed to changing lives through better sight and hearing, by making expert care accessible for all.
The company, which has 80 practices across Scotland, is the leading provider of NHS primary care optometry services, delivering 50% of all community optometry services across the UK.