The name change was ratified by the present members of NCPA in order to reflect changes within Audiology and the representation of organisations on the Committee which it is hoped will be broadened.

The NCPA was set up in 1990 as an independent committee representing the interests of the entire range of professional groups active in the field of Audiology. Thus it has a unique status in that it can be said to be a voice for the whole Audiology profession.

Each of the member organisations is represented by a single committee member who acts as link between the UKFPHB and their own professional organisation and provides a briefing about the activities of their own professional group at each meeting.

Clerical support is provided by the BSA entirely free of charge and meetings are arranged on a quarterly basis at the National Hospital, Queens Square, London. Our main point of contact is through Catherine Ward at the British Society of Audiology, 80 Brighton Rd, Reading RG6 1PS. Tel 0118 966 0622 or by email to ukfphb@thebsa.org.uk

The following organisations have a seat on the committee :

BAA – British Academy of Audiology www.baaudiology.org

BAAP – British Association of Audiovestibular Physicians www.baap.org.uk

BAPA - British Association of Paediatricans in Audiology [previously British Association of Community Doctors in Audiology] www.bacda.org.uk

BAEA - British Association of Educational Audiologists www.educational-audiologists.org.uk

BAO-HNS - British Association of Otolaryngologists – Head & Neck Surgeons www.entuk.org

BATOD - British Association of Teachers of the Deaf www.batod.org.uk

BSA - British Society of Audiology

BSHAA - British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists www.bshaa.com

RCSLT – Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists www.rcslt.org.uk

In addition to the above organisations eight “observer” organisations sit on the committee

DH – Department of Health

MRC IHR - Medical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research

NDCS – National Deaf Children’s Society www.ndcs.org.uk

NHS Supply Chain – NHS Supply Chain www.supplychain.nhs.uk

RNID – Royal National Institute for Deaf People www.rnid.org.uk

Scottish Government

UKCoD - United Kingdom Council on Deafness www.deafcouncil.org.uk

Welsh Assembly

The United Kingdom Federation of Professionals in Hearing and Balance is thus unusual in that it is very broad-based, consisting of representatives from the field of education as well as healthcare, from charities as well as professional bodies, from the private as well as the public sector.

The primary aims of the UKFPHB are to provide a national forum for debate of professional issues, for the sharing of information and as a sounding board for new ideas. As UKFPHB represents all the associations it is able to view audiological issues from a wider perspective than may be possible in totally profession based organisations. It is therefore in a very good position to act as a channel of access between professional associations and the relevant government departments.

UKFPHB will also, via working parties, produce position statements, guidelines and statements of best practice on a very wide range of issues, for example UNHS, lost/damaged hearing aids, classroom acoustics and service provision.

For further information about UKFPHB please contact Catherine Ward on the telephone number above.