FOI 1695 – Hearing Aid Contracts

Response

Date: 15 November 2022

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION – DECISION NOTICE

Dear Sir / Madam,

FOI Reference Number: 1695

1. How many NHS providers (hospital or community) do you commission to provide audiology diagnostic services?

We currently commission 4 providers (1 hospital and 3 community):

• Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Specsavers Hearcare Limited
• Scrivens Limited
• The Outside Clinic

Additionally:

• Queens Hospital Burton ceased providing service in March 2022.
• Mediscan Diagnostic Services Limited ceased contract in December 2021.

2. How many NHS providers (hospital or community) do you commission to

provide hearing aid services? 

We currently commission 4 providers (1 hospital and 3 community):

• Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Specsavers Hearcare Limited
• Scrivens Limited
• The Outside Clinic

Additionally:

• Queens Hospital Burton ceased providing service in March 2022.
• Mediscan Diagnostic Services Limited ceased contract in December 2021.

3. Do you commission non-conventional hospital/community providers such as those on a High Street e.g., Boots, Specsavers to provide audiology diagnostic services? If so, how many?

Yes, we commission 2 high-street providers, Specsavers and Scrivens. We also commission The Outside Clinic who is a domiciliary provider.

4. Do you commission non-conventional hospital/community providers such as those on a High Street e.g., Boots, Specsavers to provide hearing aid services? If so, how many?

Yes, we commission 2 high-street providers, Specsavers and Scrivens. We also commission The Outside Clinic who is a domiciliary provider.

5. What is your tariff for audiology diagnostics (e.g. hearing tests)?

Please see letter response.

6. What is included within the tariff for audiology diagnostics?

• A clinical interview to assess hearing and communication needs
• Full otoscopy
• Measurements of pure-tone air and bone conduction thresholds
• Assessment of current activity restrictions and participatory limitations
• Assessment of loudness discomfort levels

7. What is your tariff for audiology rehabilitation (hearing aid prescription, fitting and care)?

Please see the response to Question 5 above.

8. What is included within the tariff for auditory rehabilitation (e.g. assessment, hearing aid prescription and fitting (one or two) and a routine follow up)

We commission Any Qualified Provider (AQP) providers using an unbundled local tariff rather than an integrated pathway tariff. Tariff information is included in our response to Question 5.

9. What was your total spend on audiology diagnostics for each financial year asked for?

We do not hold information to the level of detail required to answer this question.

10.What was your total spend on audiology rehabilitation (hearing aid fittings and care) for each financial year asked for? 

We do not hold information to the level of detail required to answer this question.

11.How many new hearing aids did you commission for each financial year asked for? 

Not applicable; hearing aids are supplied based on need.                    

12.Did you receive a report from your audiology providers detailing actual activity for each financial year?  

Yes.

13.Would you be happy to participate in a future study that required all of your audiology providers to submit a standardised detailed report of actual activity undertaken (this would be written within the contracts between ICB’s and their audiology providers)?   

We have existing contract monitoring in place which has been locally determined. Standard reporting across different ICBs may not be possible due to different commissioning arrangement put in place.

I hope that this answers your queries with the information we currently hold, but if I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and should be addressed to:

NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB
FOI Team
Scarsdale
Nightingale Close
Newbold
Chesterfield
S41 7PF

Or:

ddicb.foi@nhs.net

If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).

The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, telephone 0303 123 1113, email casework@ico.org.uk.

Yours faithfully,

Kathryn Jacklin
FOI Officer
Derby and Derbyshire ICB

All information we have provided is subject to the provisions of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015. Accordingly, if the information has been made available for re-use under the Open Government Licence (OGL) a request to re-use is not required, but the licence conditions must be met. You must not re-use any previously unreleased information without having the consent from the ICB. Should you wish to re-use previously unreleased information then you must make your request in writing (email will suffice) to the FOI Lead via ddicb.foi@nhs.net. All requests for re-use will be responded to within 20 working days of receipt.