NHS Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire _1183_AS_2024-26_Audiology

The service will provide routine elective secondary care services for patients in the following specialities

• Community Hearing test services including provision of hearing aids

The service required for the registered population of the NHS commissioning organisation is for a hearing assessment service, including hearing aid fitting (where required), rehabilitative support, follow-up and aftercare services for adults with no contraindications who have suspected or diagnosed hearing loss. The service should include some flexibility to provide later evening and/or weekend appointments outside of regular working hours (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm).

This specification does not cover services for people with these contraindications who should continue to be referred by GP referral to the appropriate service as they may require more specialist intervention.

The Adult Hearing Service will consist of:

• Hearing needs assessment;
• Development of a personalised care plan;
• Provision and fitting of hearing aids, where clinically appropriate and agreed with the service user;
• Appropriate hearing rehabilitation, for example service user information; hearing therapy;
• Information on and signposting to any relevant communication/social support services;
• Follow-up to assess whether needs have been met;
• Aftercare service for up the effective life of the user's aid(s), including advice, maintenance and review.
• Discharge from hearing assessment and fitting pathway;
• Provision for service user complaints and feedback to the Provider.

The overall service should be carried out in accordance with best practice and guidelines.

The Commissioner is directly awarding, following direct award process B, a contract to Audiological Science Ltd in accordance with the criteria outlined in Regulation (9) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.

This is an activity-based contract with no guaranteed value.

The contract has been awarded for the period 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2026 with provision for extension included