The MHAS programme was funded by the Department of Health and aimed to modernise hearing services within the NHS across England. MHAS was about improving patient services, as well as making the latest hearing aid technology available on the NHS.
Timescales
The programme started in September 2000 with the First Wave of 18 adult sites beginning fitting throughout 2000/2001. These sites had a research programme attached to their modernisation process. The research evaluated the benefits of the changes that were taking place.
There were 49 additional sites modernised in 2002/2003, 67 in 2003/2004, and the rest of England was completed by March 2005.
Funding
The Department of Health set aside a £120 million to ensure the full rollout of the programme to all NHS audiology services in England by the end of March 2005. Adult only and joint (adult and childrens) sites were funded through two streams.
The increased cost of aids and the set up costs for IT and clinical equipment were 100% centrally funded. Some additional staff costs were also funded: 75% of this comes centrally and 25% comes from the sites- local PCTs.
Dedicated childrens sites received 100% central funds for the increased cost of aids as well as some funds for additional clinical equipment.
Outputs of the programme
- To fit high specification digital hearing aids routinely to patients who are suitable.
- Introduction of new patient journey which increases rehabilitation time and ensures that a follow up appointment takes place.
- Use of Real Ear Measurement as a clinical tool to aid fitting of hearing aids.
- Outcome measures - Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile - to aid planning and measuring patient care and service delivery.
- Patient management systems to streamline the care process and enable up to date accurate information to be available for service delivery
Programme Partners
The programme was project managed by the RNID and had various partner organisations :
- The Department of Health who are funding the programme
- The RNID lead on the implementation and delivery of the programme within the NHS with responsibility for project management of it.
- Professional advice and support comes from Programme Audiologists who are practising Heads of Department.
- NHS Purchasing and Supplies are responsible for setting up the contract for the supply of digital hearing aids and arranging their supply to participating hearing aid centres.
- MRC Institute of Hearing Research and Manchester University are responsible for evaluating the programme and delivering training
- Additional reference groups support the programme by advising the partners on policy:
- A Children's and Young adults group advises on specific children's issues. Parent?s representatives attend this group.
- A Scientific advisory group comprising a group of key academics associated with hearing services research supported the evaluation process.
- A patients' user group informs programme partners on specific patients' issues.
- A reference group comprising voluntary sector organisations, professional groups and interested parties advise the programme process.
MHAS programme resources
The resources from the MHAS project can be found under the CARNet project here :
http://www.mrchear.info/cms/Resources.aspx?Action=Folder&ResourceID=175
