§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the July 2000 NICE guidance on NHS audiology services and digital hearing aids was published before the financial contract for the NHS bulk purchasing of digital hearing aids for the first wave sites had been completed. [15677]
§ Jacqui SmithYes. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance was published in July 2000 and the bulk purchasing contract was completed at the beginning of October 2000.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will set out the timetable for the evaluation of digital hearing aids under the 20 first wave sites; [15680]
(2) what guidance his Department has given to the 20 NHS sites providing digital hearing aids for the financial year 2002–03; [15681]
(3) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) of 29 October 2001, Official Report, column 560W, on digital hearing aids, what evaluation has been made of the impact that an extra £25 million extra expenditure on audiology services will have; and by what date his Department expects to make a decision as to the speed and scale of the modernisation of NHS audiology services. [15676]
§ Jacqui SmithTwenty national health service trusts are participating in the modernising hearing aid services pilot project, which is addressing the most effective hearing aids for NHS patients, the best ways of supplying hearing aids and how a modernised hearing aid service can best be delivered to NHS patients. £11 million has been invested since May 2000 and up to 18,000 people will have benefited by March 2002.
949WThe Institute of Hearing Research is evaluating the modernisation project on behalf of the Department. Interim reports have been made available to the Department, based on limited data at this stage, suggesting that there is benefit to patients from a digital hearing aid fitted in a modernised service. The evaluation is on-going and further reports are expected to be available in March and December 2002.
Detailed guidance on patient protocols, when to fit various aids etc., has been given to those sites participating in the pilot. Guidance will be updated based on the experience of the pilot sites. Subject to favourable evaluation, we will make decisions about how best to spread the modernised services, including the provision of digital hearing aids, throughout the NHS. We have earmarked funds to begin roll-out and up to £25 million will be invested by 2003–04 subject to further favourable evaluation. Funding decisions for 2002–03 will be made in time to allow sites to make plans for delivering services for that financial year.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor the number of people who have decided to purchase digital hearing aids from overseas. [15678]
§ Jacqui SmithNo such steps are being taken. People who purchase digital hearing aids overseas are not required to inform the Department of their purchase.