A NEW partnership will ensure that the hard of hearing in Fenland will get services closer to home.

NHS Cambridgeshire has awarded a contract to a partnership between Specsavers and two NHS partners - Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, and Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust.

The partnership will provide easily accessible hearing services from April 1 for patients over 50 with age related hearing impairment.

More than 1,000 people responded to a three-month consultation asking that new services should include appointments at flexible times, shorter waiting times for appointments and that replacement hearing aid batteries should be available locally.

The unique structure sees the NHS working with an independent provider in a partnership working closely with GPs.

Patients will be able to speak to a dedicated hearcare team 365 days a year on a freephone number or be referred to the service by their GP.

The Cambridgeshire Adult Hearing Service will be supported by Fenland CAMTAD (Campaign for Tackling Acquired Deafness).

Mandy Renton, executive nurse for NHS Cambridgeshire, said: “This is an exciting new contract which sees the NHS working in partnership with private industry to help us deliver a service that patients in Cambridgeshire told us they wanted.”