Hearing: Testing
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of hearing tests.
Answered by Karin Smyth
We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for audiology services such as hearing tests. Our Elective Reform Plan commits to transforming and expanding diagnostic services and speeding up waiting times for tests.
NHS England is supporting provider organisations and integrated care boards, who are the commissioners of audiology services, to improve performance and reduce waiting lists. This includes capital investment to upgrade audiology facilities in NHS trusts, expanding audiology testing capacity via community diagnostic centres, and direct support through a national audiology improvement collaborative.
The 2025 Spending Review confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. Further details and allocations will be set out in due course.
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