Current status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 31 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timetable for delivering its commitment to move hearing tests and hearing aid fittings into community high street settings, and what assessment it has made of the impact that this will have on audiology waiting times across Scotland.
The Scottish Government remains committed to improving audiology services across Scotland and we continue to work closely with partners to determine how best to move the provision of audiology care into community settings.
On 27 August 2026, I wrote to the Health, Care and Sport Committee to provide an update on my meeting with NHS Heads of Service, community audiology providers and other key stakeholders as part of this government’s 100 days prospectus. This meeting centred on a draft proposal for development of a Target Operating Model for audiology, and my letter sets out more detail on the Scottish Government’s immediate priorities for audiology services. It can be read in full here:
20260827 Minister for Community Care to Convener | Scottish Parliament Website
As this work is at an early stage and discussions with stakeholders are ongoing, a timetable for implementation will follow in due course.