Sex, drugs

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Sex, drugs pornographyComplaints, your fee
your reputation

• Sandra Verkuyten
• Chief Executive Accounting Officer
• sandra.verkuyten_at_thehearingaidcouncil.org.uk

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Why did the fee go up?

• Complaints doubled
• Must budget for transfer then 6 month close down
  despite uncertainty
• Polluter pays not possible

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Why did complaints double?

• IC annual report due in summer
• Consumers have more faith in HAC?
• Complaints are largely frivolous?
• HAC is responsible?
• Some registrants standards are low?

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More complaints more serious

• Over 80 years old, female, living alone
• From fraud to child pornography to recklessness
• Audiometry, best advice, referable conditions and
  record keeping.
• HAC has one complaint for every 10 registrants,
  HPC one for every 500
• Little evidence of self-regulation

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What is the impact?

• Bad for consumers
• Bad for the reputation of your profession
• HAC legal spend up 50, so higher fee
• Government may want stronger controls if little
  capacity for self-regulation

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What is the HAC doing?

• Reviewed legal spend per case
• Risk assess every case
• Close cases down early if no power
• Investigate appropriately
• Refer cases to ASA, OFT police
• But we must protect consumers

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What can BSHAA do?

• A new culture?
• Strong leadership needed from industry
• Work with consumer groups, HAC other
  professional bodies to raise standards
• Target training
• Improve value customer service
• Resolve complaints before they reach us

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What is happening with transfer?

• Minister Permanent Secretary say March 2009
• Minister agreed fee with close down costs
• Working closely with BERR, DH HPC
• Exams end 2008 (2)
• 1 foundation degree approved, 2 conditionally

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What do you need to do?

• Keep up to date with CPD
• Keep an eye on our website
• Increased autonomy, increased responsibility
• Be aware of general consumer law, e.g. Unfair
  Commercial Practices Directive from April 2008
• Independent Safeguarding Authority, October 2009
• Champion the benefits to consumers of dealing
• with a registered, regulated professional

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Sandra Verkuyten Chief Executive sandra.verkuyte
n_at_thehearingaidcouncil.org.uk