The Professionalisation of Audiology in the UK Seminar

Audiology is a health profession that specialises in the non-medical aspects of hearing and balance disorders in the UK. Audiology constitutes one of several healthcare sciences, predominantly found practicing in the National Health Service, that have gone through significant changes over the last decade. These changes, often driven by the State, include the widespread change in pay, training and introduction of market reforms for routine services. The introduction of market reforms are an attempt at reducing the overall healthcare budget in the wake of an expected rise in demand for national health services by an increasing aged population.

This study aims to reveal how the profession reconciles State led changes in education, practice and market forces with its professionalisation strategy. Semi structured interviews were used to explore the views of professional elite in audiology (n=14).

Elites reveal a power relationship between profession and State, the nature of which has brought perceived advantages and disadvantages at different times. Possible interpretations of the data are discussed in light of wider empirical evidence from the sociology of professions literature.