The latest on audiology waiting times
26 September 2008
"My GP has just referred me for hearing tests as I have been struggling with my hearing and he has suggested I might benefit from a hearing aid. My concern is, will it take months before I get an appointment and even longer before I am fitted with a hearing aid? Can you advise me of the current situation regarding audiology waiting times?"
Audiology waiting times have for a long time been unacceptable; this has been due to underinvestment in the staffing resources across audiology within the NHS, coupled with massive increases in demand for treatment as a result of the Modern Hearing Aid Screening (MHAS) Project of 2000. However, as a result of audiology services nationally reviewing their working practices and a lot of additional hard work, this situation is improving across the country and recent figures from the Department of Health show that the situation is improving.
According to the Care Services Minister, Ivan Lewis, data which has been collected since 2006 showed initially that over 100,000 patients waited more than six weeks for a hearing test, and of these over 30,000 waited more than a year. Now, however, the majority of patients are being seen within six weeks, with average waits lower still.
Figures for May 2008 showed that of 31,310 patients waiting for audiology tests, 29,158 waited for up to 6 weeks, with the much smaller number of 2,152 patients waiting for longer than six weeks.
Out of the NHS diagnostic tests currently being measured, which include MRI and CT scans, audiology assessments still make up the highest proportion of long waits, but are falling steadily. Between May and June 2008, over six-week waits fell by 250 (11.5%) to 1,900.
The signs are encouraging that many NHS trusts will meet the Government target that by the end of 2008 no one will have to wait longer than 18 weeks from GP referral to commencement of hospital treatment.
In Wales, the target wait is less, being 14 weeks. At the end of June 2008, just over three quarters were fitted within this target, with the remainder taking up to 24 weeks.
In Northern Ireland, in the second quarter of 2008, of 3,461 hearing aid assessments and re-assessments completed, 99 per cent were done in less than 12 weeks, with the remaining one per cent taking between 12 to 24 weeks.
Unfortunately, we cannot comment on the situation in Scotland as data will not be available until April 2009. The Government target in Scotland is also different, with audiology waiting times not to be included in the 18-week referral to treatment standards until 2011.
To conclude, there is a high probability that you will not have to wait too long for your hearing aid, but to get a better idea of the situation locally; we suggest that you contact your local hospital audiology department.
However, one further thing you may be interested to know is the latest generation of hearing aids known as open fit do not require the use of an earmould like a traditional hearing aid and can be fitted in one appointment. This style of fitting, whilst not suitable for all types of hearing loss, is proving to be successful and popular with patients and is now being rapidly introduced across the NHS and is having a significant effect on reducing referral to treatment times.
