A NICE result on cochlear implants
NDCS, in collaboration with other charities, has achieved a milestone victory concerning cochlear implants in England and Wales - despite last minute attempts to derail this.
Cochlear implant funding for deaf children has, for many families, been a postcode lottery with some children offered one implant, some two and some being forced to wait until the next financial year before surgery.
NDCS members may remember that last year, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) - which decides on NHS treatments in England and Wales - took a step forward that will help end this postcode lottery by issuing draft guidance on cochlear implants.
However, two specialised commissioning groups representing a number of primary care trusts lodged an appeal which threatened to derail the entire process. The appeal has now been rejected, allowing the final guidance to be published.
Thanks to the joint efforts of NDCS, RNID, The Ear Foundation, NCIUA, CICS and LINK, NICE has concluded that the NHS should offer cochlear implants to all profoundly deaf children, where this is the preferred option of the family.
Unexpectedly, NICE has also concluded that all profoundly deaf children should also be offered the option of having cochlear implants in both ears, providing this is done at the same time.
For children that already have one implant, NICE has ruled that they should have the opportunity to have a second implant, if that is what the family wants.
Throughout the two-year NICE appraisal process, NDCS has listened to members and young people who have told us about the positive difference that cochlear implants make to their child and family’s lives and provided this evidence to NICE. In doing so, we have achieved a very positive result for families of deaf children for whom cochlear implantation is an option.
The NHS in England and Wales now has three-months in which to comply with the guidance and NDCS will be keeping a close eye on its progress.
Background
NDCS is committed to a whole child approach where education, health, social and personal needs are dealt with together. Cochlear implants are one part of that approach, and not an alternative to it.
Families in which a deaf child gains no benefit from a conventional hearing aid need to be provided with clear, unbiased and factual information to allow them to make an informed choice over the appropriateness of cochlear implantation for their child.
Deaf children and their families should receive high quality support that allows the child to fulfil their potential, whatever decision is made.
- Click for more information about cochlear implantation, including information on young people's views of cochlear implants.
- You can also read NDCS's policy on cochlear implants. This will be updated shortly in light of today's events.
- If you would like to discuss the NICE guidance or cochlear implantation generally, please call the NDCS Freephone Helpline on 0808 800 8880 and ask to speak to the audiology advisor. Alternatively, email helpline@ndcs.org.uk.
