Chime reach finals of Social Enterprise Awards

Chime Health, hearing specialists, have this week been announced as a finalist in The Social Enterprise Awards 2015, shortlisted as a finalist in the Health and Social Care Enterprise category.

Social Enterprise UK aims to promote businesses that trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances, or the environment. As the issue of hearing loss increases across the UK, Chime Social Enterprise has set about making a difference in becoming a leading non-profit company dedicated to providing excellence in hearing services to those with hearing loss.

Jonathan Parsons, Managing Director of Chime, says: "It is great news that Chime has been selected as a finalist at the national awards. I firmly believe that we have a business model that can help to maintain the highest quality hearing care in the UK both via the NHS and also in offering 'not for profit' quality commercial products too. We hope being shortlisted will help to showcase Chime more widely across the UK and beyond."

With over 300 entries from around the UK, The UK Social Enterprise Committee remarked on the quality of applications as 'outstanding,' commenting that: “the shortlisting was incredibly hard due to the amazing achievements in the last year within the social enterprise sector.” The winners will be announced in November at a ceremony at The Shakespeare’s Globe, London.

Jonathan went on to say: “It is a testament to the dedication and commitment of the whole Chime team who work in 15 locations across Devon and I am really delighted that their hard work has been recognised.”

The last year has been very busy for Chime with the opening of two new hearing clinics in Devon. The first, based in Torbay, expands its offering to an additional 250,000 people outside of its existing catchment area and the second, in Exeter city centre, provides a top quality hearing service but in a convenient central location. It is the first time a non-profit hearing service has gone to a city centre rather than reside in hospital accommodation, with a modern five room clinic based in the Harlequins Shopping Centre.

The hearing specialists also this year formed a new strategic partnership with the leading hearing aid supplier Phonak, to bring the latest discreet digital hearing aids to all Chime patients. Both companies aim to improve the quality of life of people with hearing loss and Phonak’s innovative technology offers various creative solutions to suit an individual’s needs.

The team has also been busy ensuring business and clinical processes are of the highest standard, encouraging patient feedback, conducting regular patient surveys and focus groups. The hearing specialists have also recently undergone external audit by the UKAS IQIPS, which is the UK’s only nationally recognised accreditation scheme, run by The Royal College of Physicians. With final approval imminent the auditors remarked on Chime’s ‘professional, exemplary clinical and patient focused services.’

Chime has an ambition to be recognised as a centre of excellence for hearing health and their achievement of reaching the finals of the Social Enterprise Awards 2015 goes a long way to acknowledge the great inroads they have made within the industry.