Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that hearing aid batteries with a shorter-than-expected operating life may have on patient care.
These questions relate to the procurement, specification, quality assurance, performance monitoring and contract management of hearing aid batteries supplied through National Procurement arrangements. This is a matter for Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) and NHS Boards and the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
Prior to 1 April 2026, these functions were undertaken by National Services Scotland and now sit within PSDS. While the Scottish Government sponsors PSDS and provides strategic oversight, operational responsibility for procurement and contract management rests with PSDS, while the delivery of audiology services is a matter for NHS Boards.
PSDS has advised that NHS Boards may raise supplier or product performance concerns through National Procurement's complaints process where products supplied under the framework do not meet the required standards. PSDS has also advised that it holds no record of a formal complaint relating to hearing aid battery performance under the current framework agreement that has resulted in contractual remedies being exercised since the commencement of the contract.