Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which paediatric audiology services have not been successful in applying to be accredited under the Improving Quality in Physiological Services Programme.

Paediatric audiology services are a clinical commissioning group (CCG) commissioning responsibility nationally; CCGs will commission services from local National Health Service and community trusts, to provide hearing assessments for children and to take referrals from the NHS New-born Hearing Screening Programme.

It is not part of NHS England’s role to take action against paediatric audiology services which are not accredited under the Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) programme.

NHS England has committed to increase the number of scientific and diagnostic services which are part of accreditation programmes, and which demonstrate robust quality assurance measures, by the end of March 2016 (NHS England Business Plan (2014-15 to 2016-17).

NHS England is liaising with The United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS), the Royal College of Physicians and other key partners to improve participation in the IQIPS accreditation scheme.

Paediatric audiology services which have not been successful in applying to be accredited under the IQIPS programme are not reported.