Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Paediatric hearing service

Swindon Paediatric Audiology provides a comprehensive, family friendly, integrated screening, diagnostic and rehabilitation service, for babies, children and young adults with hearing difficulties.

We are a highly skilled and experienced team that aims to enable children to reach their full social and educational potential via identification and appropriate management of hearing impairment.

The service is open to all babies, children and young persons (0-18 years of age) who are referred to us with a suspected hearing loss or communication difficulty. 

The Paediatric Community Audiology serviceoffers open referral for any child up to the age of eighteen years; this means anyone can refer children if there is concern about the child's hearing or communication difficulties including parents and guardians.

Services provided

What services are provided?

• Comprehensive and developmental age appropriate hearing assessments.
• Newborn hearing screening for all newborn babies.
• Electro-physiological diagnostic assessment under natural sleep or general anaesthetic.
• Parental support and advice.
• Management of permanent and temporary hearing loss through ongoing monitoring of hearing, provision of modern Digital hearing aid technology and follow up after care.
• Long term monitoring of young people at risk of developing hearing impairment.
• Onward referral to other specialist services if required.
• Further management following the hearing screen in reception/year 1 class for all children.
• Working in collaboration with ENT doctors, health visitors, school nurses and specialist education teams.
• Transition to Adult service which aims to prepare young adults for the adult hearing aid service and to provide support through the move to further education and/or employment.
  Final transfer to the Adult Hearing Aid Service does not take place until the young adult is ready, usually once they have started full time employment.
  This can occur between the ages of 17 and 25 and is a decision made by the young person and their clinician.

Locations

Services are provided at hospital sites and community locations to ensure that families are seen closer to home where appropriate, and we offer clinics for hearing assessment at:

• West Swindon Health Centre
• Great Western Hospital
• Savernake Hospital
• Fairford Hospital 

Due to the technical nature of some of our work it may sometimes be necessary to see your child at West Swindon Heath Centre but this will be discussed with you at your first appointment.

Screening

All babies are offered a hearing screen as part of the Newborn Hearing Screening Program (NHSP) soon after birth.

For further information, plesae see the NHS website: Newborn Hearing Screening (http://hearing.screening.nhs.uk/public).

For enquiries regarding Newborn Hearing Screening:

Tel: 01793 604262
Email: gwh.nhsp@nhs.net 

Referrals

Referrals can be made by contacting:

Paediatric Audiology
West Swindon Health Centre
Link Avenue
Swindon
SN5 7DL

Email: gwh.audiology.dept@nhs.net
Tel: 01793 696640

Useful links

• Swindon and North Wiltshire Deaf Children's Society (www.ndcs.org.uk/family_support/support_in_your_area/local_groups/find_a_local_group/south_west/swindon_north_wilts.html)
• The National Deaf Children's Society (www.ndcs.org.uk)
• Educational Hearing Support Team (www.redoaks.org/hearing00.php)
• Auditory Implant Service (Southampton) (http://ais.southampton.ac.uk)
• Auditory Implant Programme (Oxford) (www.ouh.nhs.uk/services/departments/specialist-surgery/audiology/auditory-implants/default.aspx)
• West of England Hearing Implant Programme (Bristol) (www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/your-hospitals/other-services-in-bristol/west-of-england-hearing-implant-programme/)
• Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (www.gov.uk/guidance/newborn-hearing-screening-programme-overview)