Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy for the NHS to screen all people over the age of 55 for hearing loss.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the NHS in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy.

In 2009-10 the UK NSC recommended that routine screening for adult hearing loss should not be offered because of the lack of evidence to warrant a screening programme. In particular:

- it is not clear what the test should be;

- there is no agreed time or schedule for carrying out the testing;

- the acceptability of the test and in particular the treatment (hearing aids) is unclear; and

- there had been no randomised trials of screening.

As part of its routine evidence review process the UK NSC has just reviewed its recommendation on screening adults for hearing loss again. Ministers expect to receive a recommendation from the UK NSC shortly.