HEALTH chiefs are set to scrap controversial money-saving plans to restrict physiotherapy and hearing aid services.

Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had proposed to limit referrals to physiotherapy in a bid to help clear debts of £25m.

During an eight-week consultation last year, it suggested saving up to £1m a year by either stopping GP accessed physiotherapy, offering telephone advice or reducing available appointments to one assessment and one follow-up.

But now new proposals will save £200,000; only patients with “significant pain levels or functional impairment” would be immediately referred to physiotherapy, with other patients given online support and advice on self-management or referrals at a later date.

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust has also proposed a different way of saving £335,000 on hearing aid services by introducing a “one stop shop” for fitting devices and reviewing the frequency of reassessments.

Action on Hearing Loss Chief Executive, Paul Breckell, said: “We welcome the decision made by the Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group to maintain funding for hearing aid services, which have been available to people with a hearing loss in Mid Essex since the inception of the NHS.

“They certainly took on board the robust clinical evidence that we provided through their consultation process and have responded to the strength of local feeling.

“We look forward to engaging with them to offer our support and expertise to help ensure that people with hearing loss in Mid Essex are provided with access to high quality hearing aid services once NHS England’s National Commissioning Framework for Audiology Services is published in April.”

The new proposals were agreed at a board meeting on Thursday.