Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of research presented to the American Academy for the Advancement of Science concerning the impact of hearing loss on the development of dementia, they will instruct Clinical Commissioning Groups to stop restricting access to hearing aids.

The Department does not issue advice to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) on hearing aid provision. CCGs are responsible for the provision of conventional hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss within their local population. As with other services CCGs commission, they should take into consideration assessments of local need and any relevant clinical guidance from appropriate national bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.