Specsavers welcomes renewed focus on community care following Scottish election

Expanding NHS audiology in the community could help support the returning Scottish government’s healthcare ambitions, says Specsavers.

Specsavers chief audiologist Gordon Harrison says a Scotland-wide primary care audiology service could meet patient need and strengthen the NHS – and that Specsavers will keep working with policymakers to deliver for local communities.

‘We welcomed First Minister John Swinney to Specsavers Dundee in the run-up Scottish Parliament elections. During his visit, he saw how Specsavers’ experts who care are widening access to hearing and eye services for local people,’ says Mr Harrison.

‘With the returning Scottish government committing in their 2026 manifesto to shift the diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated age-related hearing loss to community-based care - giving people faster, easier access to the care they need - we have a clear opportunity to improve access to hearing care across the country.’

Demand for audiology is rising, he notes, and too many patients are facing long waits for assessment and treatment. ‘Community-based models, already working in other parts of the UK, can ease pressure on hospitals, cut waiting times, and give patients faster, more convenient care closer to home.’

Specsavers is calling on policymakers, the NHS and the wider audiology sector to work together on a sustainable, patient-centred model of hearing care for people across Scotland.

‘By working together, we can widen access to care, reduce waiting times and make sure patients get the right support at the right time. Specsavers stands ready to engage with MSPs from across the chamber to deliver this vision,’ adds Mr Harrison.