Agenda item

Helen Buckingham (Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Whole Systems Commissioning, NHS Kent and Medway) and Kallie Heyburn (Associate Partner - Child Health and Maternity, Kent and Medway Commissioning Support) were in attendance for this item.

(a)       Members had before them reprints of NHS reports on audiology provided to the Committee in 2009 along with a new report providing updated information. It was explained to Members that given the state of transition in commissioning services, it may be that some questions would need to be taken away by NHS representatives for answers subsequent to the meeting.

(b)       NHS representatives explained that in the past the Committee had been informed about long waiting times for audiology services in Kent but that a concerted effort had been made to tackle this problem. All adult patients were now seen within 6 weeks for assessment and 18 weeks for treatment. Anecdotal evidence was given of waits longer than 18 weeks and NHS representatives asked for details of any instances to be given to them so they could look into it.

(c)        The 6 week target in paediatric audiology was being met in West Kent. In East Kent, there had been an increase in the number of referrals and length of waiting times at some clinics. A fourth audiologist was being recruited to cope with this issue. Members requested further detail on the breakdown of the length of waiting times for paediatric audiology services in East Kent over the three months listed on p.58 of the Agenda. NHS representatives undertook to do so.

(d)       The issue of maintaining hearing aids was discussed. A Member reported that Age Concern provided services in Folkestone and Hythe. The same Member reported that one provider requested hearing aids be sent by post for maintenance, which was not seen by the Member as the safest way to deliver maintenance services. The walk in service provided at Darent Valley Hospital was praised. The response was given that Hi Kent also provided maintenance services and that for a lot of people maintenance services closer to home and not at a hospital was more appropriate. NHS representatives undertook to provide further information on maintenance services.

(e)       In response to a question about the quality assurance of services, it was reported that all providers of NHS services would be registered with the Care Quality Commission, and this included those in the independent sector providing NHS services, but information would need to be provided separately about the quality assurance of other providers.

(f)         The question of financing was discussed. NHS spend on audiology services was roughly comparable in West and East Kent, at £6.6 million in the former and £6.7 million in the latter. The contracts were a mix of block contracts, service level agreements and cost per case. This meant the number of independent providers with contracts did not mean an increase in overall costs and that this enabled patient choice. Work was continuing on coding which would make it easier to separate the money spent on adult and paediatric audiology in the future. Some Members expressed the view that a single provider would be less fragmentary than numerous providers and provide a more coherent service.

(g)       In response to a specific question, it was explained that the definition of hard to reach service users varied on the service under discussion.

(h)        Concern was raised by Members about the impact of loud music in clubs and through headphones on people, particularly young people. The question was raised whether any work had been done mapping a potential future increase in the need for audiology services as a result of the damage possibly caused by loud music. The assessment of need was reported as being core to the future commissioning of services and NHS representatives undertook to provide information on the trends identified for audiology services.

(i)         It was reported that the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in East Kent had recently determined that they would commission audiology services collaboratively in the future and South Kent Coast CCG would lead on this service. This commissioning would include examining issues of accessibility. The offer was made to return to the Committee when these plans had been developed.

(j)         The Chairman proposed the following recommendation:

·        That the Committee thanks its guests for their contribution and the information provided, and looks forward to updates in the future.

(k)        AGREED that the Committee thanks its guests for their contribution and the information provided, and looks forward to updates in the future.