National Audiology Review Group minutes: June 2022

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

• Jacqueline Taylor (chair)
• Catherine Ross, Chief Healthcare Science Officer, Scottish Government
• Adrian Carragher, Scottish Heads of Audiology group (HoA)
• Jim Harrigan, Scottish Heads of Audiology group (HoA)
• Catriona Johnson, National Services Scotland, National Services Division (NSS NSD)
• Kathryn Lewis, British Academy of Audiology (BAA)
• John Day Clinical Director of Audiology, NHS Wales
• Robert Farley, NHS Education for Scotland (NES)
• Samantha Lear, National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS)
• Sandra McDougall, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• Crystal Rolfe, Royal National Institute for Deaf People
• Susan Campbell, Clinical Lead, Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme
• Claudine Duff, Official Observer - Scottish Government
• Esther Black, Official Observer - Scottish Government  

Supported by

• Raveena Sajjan, review  Secretariat Team Lead - Scottish Government
• Abigail Parkin, review  Secretariat - Scottish Government
• Laura Sweeney, review  Secretariat - Scottish Government 

Guest Speaker

• Tracey Gillies, Medical Director, NHS Lothian

Apologies

• Donna Corrigan, British Society of Audiology
• Angela Bonomy, Sense Scotland
• John Marshall, Ears, Nose and Throat Clinical Lead, Scottish Government
• Franki Oliver, Royal National Institute for Deaf People
• David Steel, National Services Scotland, National Services Division

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The chair welcomed everyone and invited all members of the review  group to reintroduce themselves and the organisations they represent for the benefit of new members in attendance.

The chair referred to the previous meeting minute, and all accepted and agreed they should be referred to as a “note” moving forward.

Action: Secretariat team to refer to minute as note moving forward.

Apologies recorded and noted above.

Update on note and progress since last meeting

The chair updated the review  group on progress made since the first review  group meeting.  This has included meetings with NHS Lothian and Sandra McDougall, who is responsible for Quality Assurance at HIS and identification of subgroup chairs to lead on key workstreams of the review

The chair introduced the updated Background paper  and invited colleagues to comment on the paper. Adrian Carragher commented it is an excellent summary of recent history of Audiology in Scotland.

Presentation from NHS Lothian

Tracey Gillies provided a presentation on the outcome of the external report done by British Audiology Association and updated the review group on NHS Lothian’s progress. It was recognised significant training has been introduced and is being taken on by the team. Tracey Gillies confirmed NHS Lothian want to be early to adopt anything that comes out of the review’s recommendations.

Action:  NHS Lothian to provide the Secretariat support team with their revised assurance process.

Terms of reference

The chair highlighted the updated Terms of reference (tor) and how the review  will focus on four core themes: 

• governance, structure and leadership
• clinical audit, quality assurance and peer review
• education, training and continued professional developmentl
• lived experience

The chair introduced the subgroup chairs for the three subgroups: 1) Structure, governance and leadership, 2) Quality assurance and 3) Education and training.  The reference group remit will include stakeholder engagement.

The review group shared an interest in how the reference group will work with service users. The chair noted that the reference group chair, Angela Bonomy is currently on leave however early discussions have taken place between the chair and Angela. It was noted that some members have already been invited onto the referencegroup.  Catriona Johnson confirmed the  Hearing Impairment Network for Children & Young People (HINCYP) can play a role in cascading information and the Alliance have a role in involving smaller more rural Charities. 

Note – Scottish Government colleagues who are attending the review  group meetings have an interest and/or provide Secretariat spport and are not direct members of the group.

Rob Farley commented that the tor is the review’s playbook and he is content the four domains are appropriate. It was agreed that any final comments are minimal reflecting only edits to wording rather than content and these can be taken forward via email. It was recognised that it is important the tor are signed off electronically to enable the work to progress at pace and ensure transparency. Noted by review  group members that the tor mentions a mid-review  meeting with the Minister, which would potentially be in October. 

The chair noted that once the tor are signed off, these will be published on the review group’s Scottish Government Webpage.

Action: Secretariat support to send out reminder email to review  group members for final comments on tor, COP 7 July 2022.  tor to be signed off mid-July electronically and published on SG website.

Introduction from subgroup chairs

Each subgroup chair offered brief overviews on the purpose and scope of their respective subgroup. 

There was agreement that this includes knowing where we are, where we’re going and how we will get there. It was noted that there are inter-dependencies/relationships between the subgroups and reference group.

Any other business

The chair confirmed the next review  group meetings are scheduled for 9 August and 13 September. Invites will be sent out shortly.

Action: Secretariat support to send out Doodle for October Meeting, as this will fall during National UK School holidays.

Action: Secretariat support to review  use of Objective Connect for sharing of documents and follow  up with the review  group to complete registration.