NDCS FOI Request: audiology provision for deaf children from 1 st April 2010 to 31 st March 2011

Transcription

1 NDCS FOI Request: audiology provision for deaf children from 1 st April 2010 to 31 st March 2011 Date of request - 3 rd August 2011 I am ing a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act Please could you provide the following information: 1., Compared to the same time last year, have you experienced longer waiting times for? [please tick all that apply] hearing aid repairs new earmoulds hearing tests first assessments If you have ticked yes to any of the above, please state by how much waiting times have increased 2. Has there been any change in policy or practice in what your audiology service provides? [please tick all that apply] For children with temporary conductive hearing loss For children with mild hearing loss For children with unilateral hearing loss How regularly children are reassessed Batteries for hearing aids Coloured moulds / hearing aids Charging for lost hearing aids Other If you have ticked yes to any of the above, please tell us what has changed

2 3. Have there been any changes in the number or skill-mix of full time equivalent (fte) staff in your team? [please tick all that apply] Yes - there are more staff available than last year Yes - there are less staff available than last year because we have been unable to recruit to posts Yes - there are less staff available than last year because posts have been frozen Yes - there are less staff available than last year because posts have been deleted from the establishment because of financial constraints Yes - there are less staff posts in the service now than last year because we no longer require them (e.g. end of waiting list initiatives) Yes other reason (please state below) If yes, please describe in more detail what has changed (including the number of staff reductions, if any) 4. Have there been any changes to the availability of training? Yes an increase Yes a decrease If yes, please tell us what has changed (for example, changes to the training budget or changes to to the types / numbers of staff able to access training):

3 5. Have there been any reductions in informal family support services such as parent coffee mornings, playgroups, use of voluntary sector, etc. Yes If yes, please tell us what has changed 6. Have there been any changes to how your audiology service for deaf children is commissioned? X Yes If yes, please outline below what these changes are and any impact this has had on the service. The commissioning responsibility has transferred from the PCT to the new joint commissioning unit in the Local Authority. As yet this has not affected the service provision. 7. Looking ahead to the 2011/12 financial year, are you aware of any planned changes to any of the below? [please tick all that apply] policy or practice in what your audiology service provides number or skill-mix of full time equivalent staff in your team availability of training informal family support services such as parent coffee mornings, playgroups, use of voluntary sector etc. If you have ticked yes to any of the above, please outline below what these changes are.

4 8. Are you aware of any proposals to put out to competitive tender, contracts for the provision of your paediatric audiology services in 2011/12? Yes X If yes, please outline below what the proposed change is and what assessment, if any, has been carried out on the impact of these proposed changes? 9. What do you regard as the most successful aspects of your audiology service at the moment? 10. What do you regard as the main challenges or problems facing your audiology service at the moment? 11. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the audiology service and any future plans?

5 12. Please tell us about yourself and the service Respondent / Role: Name of audiology service PCT(s) area covered address / phone number: Thank you for taking the time to complete this information. If these questions cannot be answered in whole or in part, I would like to request that you justify all omission by reference to the specific exemptions of the act. I reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to charge fees. I would be grateful if you could confirm by that you have received this request and I look forward to your response by 5th September 2011, as outlined in the statute. You can send it by post or by using the following addresses: catherine.hudson@ndcs.org.uk Cat Hudson National Deaf Children s Society 15 Dufferin Street London EC1Y 8UR