Audiology

DH InformatIon reaDer BoX

Policy Estates
HR/Workforce Commissioning
Management IM & T
Planning/Performance Finance
Clinical Social Care/Partnership Working
Document purpose Best Practice Guidance
Gateway reference 12113
title Hearing Services for Older People
author DH
Publication date 22 Jul 2009
target audience PCT CEs, NHS Trust CEs, SHA CEs, Care Trust CEs,
Directors of Nursing, Local Authority CEs, Directors of
Adult SSs, Allied Health Professionals, GPs
Circulation list
Description This briefing outlines recent improvements in audiology
services and provides information on a range of tools to
help commissioners and providers.
Cross reference Improving access to Audiology Services DH 2007
Superseded documents N/A
action required N/A
timing N/A
Contact details Gillian Ayling
Older People and Dementia policy team
Room 8E 28
Quarry House
Leeds LS2 7UE
for recipient use
audiology

Hearing services

for older people

Hardness of hearing and deafness affect the lives of large numbers of people,
and can limit active and independent participation in family life and society if not
assessed and treated appropriately. Audiology services can particularly support
older people to live independently.

It is estimated that 20% of adults in England experience hearing loss. Age is a

major predictor of hearing impairment so as the population ages more people will
be affected. Older people make up a large proportion of hearing aid users.

Following on from the success of the switch to digital hearing aids in the NHS in
2001, Improving Access to Audiology Services in England, published in March
2007, set out a vision for all people with hearing and balance problems including
older people:

“to provide high-quality, efficient services delivered closer to home, with

low waits and high responsiveness to the needs of local communities,
free at the point of access”.

Improvements in older people’s access to audiology services

Prompt access to treatment is an integral part of providing high-quality care. No
local health system will be credible, therefore, if it does not make progress in
tackling long waits for all hearing loss cases which affect large numbers of every
local population – regardless of where and how these services are provided.

Since 2006, the NHS has been working to reduce waits for diagnostic tests,
including audiology or hearing tests, to a maximum of six weeks. Today, the
average wait for an audiology assessment is 2.2 weeks, compared with 25.6 weeks
two years ago.

The NHS has also significantly reduced waiting times for non-urgent consultant-led
audiology treatment to begin within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral. Today,
the average wait to see an ENT consultant is 4.2 weeks if hospital admission is
required and 9.6 weeks if treatment does not require admission to hospital.

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Hearing services for older people

The NHS also has plans to reduce waits for non-consultant-led services. Today, the
average wait for direct access audiology services (ie when someone is referred by
their GP straight to hearing services, such as an audiologist) is just over five weeks.

How have these improvements been achieved?

The transformation of audiology services and improvements to the experience of
people with hearing and balance problems has been achieved through changes
to the way that services are provided, where they are provided and who provides
them, such as:

●● delivering services in primary cares settings that are close to patient’s homes,
providing more convenient and more accessible care

●● assessing falls risks while assessing and diagnosing balance disorders,

improving home safety and enabling independent living.

further information
There is a range of tools to help commissioners and providers improve audiology
services available on the 18-week website, including:

●● the national framework Improving access to audiology services (DH 2007)

●● 18-weeks commissioning pathways for hearing loss/difficulties in adults and

adolescents and tinnitus

●● Audiology good practice guides provide advice to the NHS on reducing waits,
evidence and new pathways for the innovative delivery of care.

http://www.18weeks.nhs.uk/Content.aspx?path=/achieve-and-sustain/Specialty­
focussed-areas/Audiology/

The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) provides information on hearing
impairment and services for health professionals as well as service users and carers.
http://www.rnid.org.uk/information_resources

NHS Choices provides information on deafness, hearing impairment and services.

http://www.nhs.uk/Search/Pages/Results.aspx?scope=NHSChoices&q=deafness

How to use your hearing aid (DH and RNID 2008) Booklet to help people use
NHS hearing aids effectively.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/
PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_084953

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 Hearing services for older people

Hearing Direct provides an NHS Direct telephone-based follow-up service for

patients who have had a new hearing aid fitted, and benefits audiology services
by reducing the number of face-to-face follow-up appointments needed.
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/article.aspx?name=HearingDirect

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© Crown copyright 2009
296807 July 09
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