Hearing services are responsive

Your story ‘Hearing aid services not up to scratch’ (KM June 27) does not accurately paint the full picture of how audiology services are commissioned and delivered in west Kent.

In fact, as Action on Hearing Loss’s report states, we have actually been rated one of the best areas in the country for people to get seen quickly. Audiology services are commissioned in a variety of ways, with many Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) commissioning their services through high street providers such as Specsavers and Boots. However, West Kent CCG has put a special contract in place working in partnership with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust (MTW) that encompasses the complete patient pathway of all the audiology services within our community. MTW assesses and fits hearing aids on site, so that patients can leave the hospital with their hearing aid. In fact, during the course of the last financial year, more than 17,500 patients attended an audiology appointment at

MTW and more than 7,000 people had a hearing assessment. In addition, we are supported by a local charity called Hi Kent that holds surgeries across west Kent, so that patients, who have trouble with their hearing aids, can go to their local surgery and get routine maintenance and batteries.

GPs in West Kent automatically refer any patient who may have a blockage or condition causing them hearing difficulty to the audiology or ear, nose and throat specialist at MTW.

Ian Ayres,

Managing Director, NHS Medway, North and West Kent CCG