Patient Experience of Tinnitus Services in the UK

[Steve]

A new paper published on the quality of experience of patients in the UK trying to access tinnitus services.

It's open access so you can view the full paper here http://rdcu.be/GP0B

It is UK specific but the conclusion shows that many patients who were "discharged from secondary care return to their GP within a short space of time and are re-referred to secondary care creating an unsatisfactory and expensive revolving-door pattern of healthcare"

I would like to hope that evidence such as this influences the NHS into prioritising treatment, primarily as a cost saving measure but also in providing the standard of care we should expect.

 

[Starthrower]

Just wondering why patients were/are discharged from secondary care?

 

[Localboy]

Just wondering why patients were/are discharged from secondary care?

Think it's for the NHS (national health care) budget reasons. It would be costly to keep everyone in secondary care. If there's nothing that can be done, no acoustic neuromas found, hearing checked, need for hearing aids assessed and with no budget for TRT, it's time to kick the patient out and send back to GP.

 

[Starthrower]

Thanks Localboy.

The revolving door situation sounds like a costly government issue also.

 

[Steve]

Thanks Localboy.

The revolving door situation sounds like a costly government issue also.

I believe that it is a costly issue. I'm not sure how long it will take for the NHS to also realise this.

After being discharged from secondary care there is a reasonable chance of presenting again with stress / anxiety, depression and other co-morbidities brought on by the reaction to tinnitus - along with making further attempt to receive tinnitus treatment.

If they were to tackle the tinnitus at source, by understanding there are more issues to address than acoustic neuroma / ear conditions or hearing loss (below the 8kHz that they test up to) then they could avoid higher future costs.

The real thing in the UK is to try and handle tinnitus at a GP level. The first point of contact for someone in distress due to tinnitus needs to be effective in my opinion. If the GP can be guided to provide that initial care then patients (including me when I first presented) can be reassured and possibly be prevented from the inevitable anxiety of the unknown and misunderstood.

BTA have done work in this area and produced guidance for GP's https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/guidance-for-gps but I don't know how many know of it and use it.

 

[Starthrower]

The real thing in the UK is to try and handle tinnitus at a GP level. The first point of contact for someone in distress due to tinnitus needs to be effective in my opinion.

Exactly!!!

I don't have time this morning but I just wanted to quickly reply.