Overview
NHS Tayside engaged TPG Insourcing to support the Audiology & Balance Services Department at Kings Cross Hospital, Dundee, with a significant backlog in adult audiology referrals. The service was facing lengthy wait times for both initial hearing assessments and hearing aid refits and required additional capacity to address these delays.
We provided an experienced team of audiologists to deliver weekend and weekday clinics, using Trust premises and systems to ensure seamless service delivery. The project aimed to reduce waiting times and relieve pressure on the substantive team.
The Challenge
At the start of the project, NHS Tayside reported:
- 2,080 patients waiting for initial hearing assessments (up to 37 weeks)
- 785 patients awaiting hearing aid refits (up to 52 weeks)
The objective was to reduce assessment wait times from 37 to 26 weeks within six weeks, with an ambition to eliminate the backlog entirely within 24 weeks.
Four clinical rooms were made available at Kings Cross Hospital, with availability for up to 56 hours per week per room. Appointment slots were 45 minutes long, enabling each audiologist to assess up to 10 patients per day including reporting time.
Our Approach
We deployed a team of experienced Trust-approved audiologists. The service was designed around the following key principles:
- Clinics delivered onsite using NHS Tayside’s premises, equipment, and reporting systems
- Patient booking handled by the Trust to ensure fully utilised clinic lists
- Appointment length of 45 minutes to allow for both assessment and reporting
- Operational hours of 08:00 – 18:00, Monday to Sunday, for maximum capacity
- Workflows and systems agreed jointly during mobilisation for smooth integration
This model enabled rapid deployment and high patient throughput while maintaining clinical governance and service continuity.
Highlights
Our collaborative delivery model yielded several notable achievements during the contract:
- Rapid mobilisation and clinic commencement
- Seamless integration with the Trust's established systems
- Full utilisation of clinic capacity across both weekdays and weekends
- Strong collaborative working with the Trust's audiology team
- High patient throughput consistently delivered at quality standards
- Positive informal feedback on team professionalism and impact
Outcomes
The project successfully delivered impressive reductions in backlog and waiting times:
- Initial assessment backlog down from 2,080 to 680 patients
- Assessment wait times slashed from 37 to 11 weeks
- Refit backlog reduced from 785 to 115 patients
- Refit wait times reduced from 52 to 12 weeks
- Overall 67% reduction in waiting list size and 83% reduction in waiting times
This achievement also relieved pressure on substantive staff, enabling them to manage remaining caseloads more effectively and sustainably.