Scottish Government

To end October 2003

• Modernisation Project Board established (chaired by Chief Executive Tayside NHS Board).

• Audiology Services Advisory Group established (including representation from professionals, NHS Board management, voluntary sector, social work and education).

To end April 2004

• Experienced Project Manager engaged.

• All NHS Boards have set up local Working Groups to inform the modernisation process and prepared action plans.

To end October 2004

• All equipment necessary for fitting of hearing aids using modernised procedures, and for associated assessment, purchased, installed and functioning correctly.

• Most audiology centres issuing digital aids on a restricted basis.

To end June 2005

• All relevant modules of electronic Patient Management Systems being used in all main audiology centres.

To end December 2005

• Modernised procedures for assessment and fitting ( REM and GHABP/ GHADP) provided to 40% of all patients issued with new or replacement hearing aids.

• All accommodation used for assessing hearing impairment and for fitting hearing aids compliant, as far as is reasonably practicable, with the Project Board document "Comprehensive Audiology Service Room Requirement".

• Waiting time from referral to assessment will not exceed 35 weeks.

• Waiting time from assessment to fitting will not exceed 15 weeks.

• All relevant staff to have attended centrally funded training in delivering modernised procedures.

To end March 2006

• 90% of all new and replacement hearing aids being issued will be digital signal processing (DSP) devices.

• Waiting times from referral to fitting to be reduced to 26 weeks by 31 March 2006 due to private sector contract involvement.

• Modernised procedures for assessment and fitting ( REM and GHABP/ GHADP) provided to 75% of all patients issued with new or replacement hearing aids.