Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2019 to Question 269620 on Hearing Impairment, what steps his Department has taken to (a) issue and (b) promote commissioning guidance to clinical commissioning groups in relation to people with hearing loss.

The Commissioning Framework for Hearing Loss Services was published in July 2016. The guidance has been shared with commissioners in England through usual channels. Third sector organisations also promoted the Framework as did hearing loss service providers. A launch event at Portcullis House hosted by the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on deafness and hearing loss was held on 19 July 2019 along with a number of events pre and post publication of the Framework, including a presentation to the British Academy of Audiology and attendance at the NHS Roadshow.