Community Audiology Service in Brent 1

The community audiology service was commissioned to continue to support the agenda of delivering care closer to patients' home, improve health and wellbeing and quality of care and support to the Brent GP registered population. Thus, eliminating unwarranted variation in care and improving the management of long-term conditions. The service was commissioned to augment acute capacity and help improve waiting times as well as providing patients with a choice.

The provider provides assessment and rehabilitation services for hearing impaired people who are referred under the service provision and provide: • An initial assessment of their hearing problem and to determine whether they might benefit from hearing aids; • Advice and guidance as existing users of hearing aids.

The scope of the service includes the assessment and fitting of hearing aids and counselling in line with national guidance and the NWL diagnostics pathway. The services are delivered at least to the standards provided under the NHS Hearing Aid services MHAS programme and in accordance with current clinical protocols specified by the British Society of Audiology and the British Academy of Audiology.

Additional information: A new contract is put in place for a period of 6 months to afford the newly forming NHS North West London CCG time to agree the approach to commission this service at NWL ICS level in line with national and ICS guidance to ensure smoother, less complicated, non-duplicated service delivery.