Question reference: S6W-23310
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 28 November 2023
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times for first appointments post-hearing aid fitting.
Answer
We continue to work closely with NHS Boards to reduce long waits, which have been exacerbated by the impacts of the global pandemic. This includes targets to address long waits and delivery of the commitments in our £1 billion NHS Recovery Plan to support an increase in inpatient, day-case, and outpatient activity.
While we know there is more to do, we are making progress. The latest Public Health Scotland data shows that in the 12 months to September 2023, almost 1.24 million (1,237,657) New Outpatients were seen across NHS Scotland; 2.5% more than previous 12 months.
We are also working with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) as a third sector partner to promote and deliver community-based support for hearing-aid users. RNID Near You is currently operating in three Board areas, with plans to extend to a further two areas this financial year, and provides after-care support including maintenance, battery replacement and peer support and advice.