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Written question asked by Alison Griffiths (Conservative) on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 July 2026 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Tuesday, 7 July 2026. A substantive answer was provided by Preet Kaur Gill (Labour) on Monday, 20 July 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Audiology: Bognor Regis and Littlehampton

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS audiology providers in England are subject to (i) high assurance, (ii) partial assurance and (iii) improvement support under NHS England’s national audiology improvement programme; and what assurance status applies to NHS providers delivering audiology services in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Answer

The National Audiology Improvement Collaborative, delivered by NHS Elect and commissioned by NHS England, supports audiology services to improve access, reduce waiting times, and improve patient experience and quality. It began in 2024/25 with four teams, three of which achieved significant, measured improvements in waiting times. A further eight teams were supported in 2025/26 and 20 more will join in 2026/27. Learning is being shared through webinars and conferences, and NHS Elect will publish an improvement guide later in 2026.

Data on how many audiology providers are in each rating category is currently being collected. Bognor Regis and Littlehampton are served by the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, whose paediatric audiology service has been rated as high assurance since the start of the programme, most recently confirmed in May 2025.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
15199
Session
2026-27
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Health services Audiology Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk