NHS Devon - Audiology Specialist Services - Eastern Locality

Description

The aim of the specialised audiology service is to commission a comprehensive specialised service for adults and children experiencing hearing and communication difficulties who would benefit from assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. The ICB commissioned specialist services will accept referrals direct from health professionals in the community via DRSS and hospitals for all aspects of hearing care for adults for whom the standard community service (over 55 Routine Adult Hearing Aid Service) is not suitable, and children. This will range from babies of a few days old and their families to the elderly. The service includes diagnosis of, quantification of degree, and rehabilitation of hearing loss, tinnitus or balance impairment. It also includes provision of supporting services for patients who may be considering or have bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants in addition to providing audiological support to ENT inpatient and outpatient services, as commissioned by those service providers. This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner. Lot 1: The aim of the specialised audiology service is to commission a comprehensive specialised service for adults and children experiencing hearing and communication difficulties who would benefit from assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. The ICB commissioned specialist services will accept referrals direct from health professionals in the community via DRSS and hospitals for all aspects of hearing care for adults for whom the standard community service (over 55 Routine Adult Hearing Aid Service) is not suitable, and children. This will range from babies of a few days old and their families to the elderly. The service includes diagnosis of, quantification of degree, and rehabilitation of hearing loss, tinnitus or balance impairment. It also includes provision of supporting services for patients who may be considering or have bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants in addition to providing audiological support to ENT inpatient and outpatient services, as commissioned by those service providers. The service will also be expected to work closely with ENT and other specialist services to establish care pathways that maximize quality while reducing reliance on medically qualified staff, for example in the glue ear pathway for children. Where agreed, such pathways will be included in this specification and a contract variation order completed. It is expected that care pathways will be unified across the ICB regardless of different service providers. The vision for people with hearing problems is for them to receive high quality, efficient services, with short waiting times and high responsiveness to the needs of local communities, free at the point of access. Key principles of the service is to: • Improve public health and occupational health focus on hearing loss; • Reduce prevalence of avoidable permanent hearing loss; • Encourage early identification, diagnosis and management of hearing loss through improved service user and professional education; • Provide person-centred care, and respond to information and psychosocial needs, including for the effect on partners (and family) of living with poor hearing; • Support communication needs by providing timely signposting to lip reading classes and assistive technologies and other rehabilitation services; • Promote inclusion and participation of people who are deaf or hard of hearing; • Compliance with clinical guidance and good practice; • Improve the service through research and development and the adoption of new evidence based technologies and practices. The contract value is £2,006,166 per annum with a total contract value of £10,030,830 for the 5-year period (1/4/2025 - 31/3/2030).