Agenda item

Attending for this Item from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust were:

Amanda Markall, Director of Operations Surgical Division

Mel Collins, Countywide Audiology Services Manager

The Audiology Services Manager referred to the Presentation attached to the Agenda and the following main points were highlighted:

·         1 in 6 people had a hearing impairment in the UK and it took on average 7 years for people to realise there was a problem and seek help

·         Only 60% of people with hearing difficulties wore hearing aids

·         The affect of hearing loss included isolation, depression and general acceptance that they will ‘miss out’.  There was also a possible link to dementia, although this was not proven

·         Patient numbers in Worcestershire had been fairly stable in recent years, with around 48,000 adult consultations and around 14,000 paediatric consultations taking place in 2018

·         Reception aged children were routinely tested in Schools by Worcestershire Health and Care Trust and if necessary referred to the Audiology Service

·         Alongside the main hospital sites, the Service had a number of satellite sites around the County ensuring that patients did not have to travel for long periods for routine appointments or aftercare

·         A recent initiative, where hearing aid batteries were distributed through Charity Shops in Worcester and Droitwich, had been well received by patients as these outlets were often more accessible than the main or satellite sites

·         The service was nearly fully resourced, with 29 Clinical Audiologists amongst others, with 3 vacant posts being recruited to currently

·         Performance was generally positive against the key indicators, although equipment failures at the Alexander Hospital in Redditch meant that some patients who would have had to travel further declined their appointments, thus affecting the performance figures

·         An increasing number of GP surgeries were no longer removing ear wax, which was having an impact on the service as patients were arriving with wax and could therefore not have their hearing test performed

·         Advances in technology was having a positive impact for patients with hearing loss.

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

·         In response to a query as to whether the Audiology Service was proactive in reaching out to organisations which had hearing loop systems, to offer advice or support, it was reported that although some work had been done in the past, it would need to be revisited

·         Members were extremely concerned to hear that GP surgeries were no longer removing ear wax which was having an impact on both the patient and Audiology Service.  HOSC agreed to write to the Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups to urge them to encourage GP surgeries to undertake ear wax removal before referral

·         When asked whether a build up of ear wax could cause an infection later, it was suggested that there was no evidence to suggest this was the case

·         In relation to current vacancies, these were part of the base budget and there were no new positions

·         Members were interested to hear about the initiative whereby hearing aid batteries were being distributed through Charity Shops and wondered whether this was being developed in other areas?  It was reported that although a popular scheme, other areas in the County had good access

·         It was reported that the Service had put in a bid to replace the equipment at the Alexander Hospital in Redditch.  Although those patients who could travel were mainly doing so, HOSC was made aware of examples where a patient living in Redditch declined an appointment elsewhere and there was concern from the clinicians that those patients could be at risk of not receiving treatment.  In addition, equipment failures also resulted in audiology staff travelling to alternative sites as part of their working day

·         The Team had grown due to increased demand and it was suggested that more clinics would be needed over time

·         When asked whether hearing loss was noise induced, it was suggested that in some cases it was.  Different advice would be offered to patients when purchasing noise plugs if a DIY enthusiast or a Drummer for example

·         A Member not on HOSC stated that deafness was a hidden disability and could result in a patient retreating from society and becoming very lonely.  They suggested that generally people do not understand the impact.  When asked whether the Audiology Service believed that they were not being fully supported by the whole health service, it was suggested that the Service was not always recognised until residents are referred

·         In response to a question whether private providers were taking advantage of patients, it was suggested that solutions offered were not always the most appropriate.  However, modern hearing aids were having a positive impact and technology was constantly changing

·         In response to a comment about the lack of awareness of the service and of the impact of hearing loss, it was noted that the service ran audiology weeks and tinnitus awareness sessions.

The Chairman thanked those present for an informative and useful discussion.