In Focus: Labour removes barriers to accessing hearing care

Tens of thousands of people in the UK with mild to moderate hearing loss could benefit from new Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) guidance that will allow businesses to sell devices, such as earphones with hearing aid and testing functionality, direct to consumers ‘over the counter’ (OTC).  

The new guidance was part of the Labour government’s ‘Plan for Change’ initiative, which has focused on positioning the UK as a global leader in technology and encouraging innovation to improve lives. The Prime Minister recently outlined a blueprint to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) across various sectors, including healthcare.