Evidence submitted by David Ormerod Hearing
Centres (AUDIO 35)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
David Ormerod Hearing Centres (DOHC) was founded
in 1961 and is one of the leading hearing aid dispensing companies
in the UK with a growing market share (currently around 15%).
The primary activities of the Company are testing of hearing and
fitting of hearing aids to adults.
DOHC works with Boots plc and specifically Boots
Opticians. DOHC services are operating in over 100 High Street
Hearing Centres nationwide within Boots Opticians; with an additional
50 Hearing Centres operating in stand alone high street stores
or from within NHS Audiology Departments. The Company also operates
a nationwide domiciliary service through a second brand Advanced
Hearing Services. The DOHC Group employs 170 Hearing Aid Audiologists.
DOHC also has a strategic partnership with Phonak
who are the largest global hearing aid corporation and have a
30% worldwide market share.
The Audiology market in the UK is dominated
by NHS provision and the penetration of hearing aids fitted per
head of population in the UK is second only to Scandinavia; however
the more useful benchmark is perhaps a measure of usage which
in the UK is significantly lower. One of the key determinates
here is public perception of anything that is deemed to be "free"
and therefore perceived of little value.
The NHS fits around 700,000 units p.a. predicted
to increase to 1,000,000 units p.a. by 2008. Statistical data
produced by the Institute of Hearing Research indicates that early
intervention in cases of hearing loss can significantly improve
quality of life and can be preventative of medical conditions
brought about by social exclusion. In contrast the independent
market fitted approx 200,000 units commercially last year.
Whether accurate data on waiting times for audiology
services are available?
1. There is no published data to indicate
the true capacity and demand of NHS Audiology services. The British
Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists commissioned a report Suffering
in Silence 2006 which shows waiting times for a first hearing
aid to be well over 12 months. "The South East remains the
worst place... between 73 and 74 weeks (to obtain a hearing aid)".
Why audiology services appear to lag behind other
specialties in respect of waiting times and access and how this
can be addressed?
2. No comment to make in this area.
Whether the NHS has the capacity to treat the
numbers of patients waiting?
3. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence
that the NHS does not currently have the capacity to treat the
numbers of patients in need of a hearing aid. Predicted demographic
population changes will increase demand for what appears to be
an already over stretched NHS Audiology service.
Whether enough new audiologists are being trained?
4. In May 2007 over 100 students will graduate
with a BSc in Audiology and there is evidence that around 40%
of these will look for a post in the private sector. DOHC has
already started a database of students who have expressed an interest
in working for the company on graduation.
5. The private sector is currently regulated
by the Hearing Aid Council (HAC) which is primary legislation
from 1968 amended in 1989. The HAC is part of the Hampton review
and is likely to be abolished (there are currently approximately
1,400 Registered Hearing Aid Dispensers in the UK). Future and
existing registrants are likely to come under the Health Professions
Council (HPC) who will also be responsible for NHS registered
audiologists. The HAC is currently developing a Foundation Degree
as the future entry point for Hearing Aid Audiologists. This clearly
paves the way for harmonisation of qualifications for the NHS
and private sector.
6. DOHC has already established links with
the key Higher Education Institutions and will offer appropriate
clinical supervision for students following this route to increase
the number of Hearing Aid Audiologists employed by the company.
7. It is unlikely that existing numbers
of Audiologists being trained will cope with the combined demand
in the public and private sector going forward. The Department
of Health have indicated that they expect the demand for NHS hearing
aids to be at 1000,000 units by 2008 in addition to the 200,000+
units fitted annually in the private sector.
How great a role the private sector should play
in providing audiology services?
8. Key questions for the current NHS delivery
model are: increasing patient numbers, levels of appropriately
qualified staff, cost and location of service delivery.
9. The private sector can offer simple but
creative solutions to these issues.
10. DOHC was one of two companies in September
2003 awarded the National Framework Public Private Partnership
(PPP) contract in England for providing adult hearing aid services.
This contract has been extended to 31 March 2007. The company
worked with 48 NHS Trusts and provided a service to a total number
of 24,000 patients primarily through high street locations.
11. The company has a strategy in place
which would allow ramp up to cater for significantly more patient
journeys per year based on the standard Modernised Hearing Aid
Services (MHAS) protocol, or any subsequent revised fitting protocol.
12. Current PPP funding is no longer ring
fenced and therefore the existing PPP activity has declined significantly.
Where local NHS Trusts or Primary Care Trusts have secured funding
to purchase further services, DOHC has worked to establish or
continue existing services to meet those demands.
13. Through the experience of PPP, DOHC
has identified a number of areas where greater efficiencies could
be introduced into the service model thus creating greater capacity
and offering value for money without compromising quality.
14. DOHC has a track record of being able
to react quickly to market forces providing a high quality service
working to given protocols. The company is committed to offering
a client centred hearing aid audiology service on the high street,
close to where people live and shop. This is further supported
by our partnership with Boots Opticians. We feel that the private
sector should be working in partnership with the NHS to alleviate
the overwhelming demand on audiology services nationwide.
David Ormerod
Chief Executive, David Ormerod Hearing Centres
8 February 2007
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