Creating a paediatric audiology service fit for every deaf child

NDCS Scotland campaigns to ensure that NHS audiology services are delivering for deaf children and their families in Scotland.

On behalf of deaf children and their parents in Scotland, we are working in partnership with the Scottish Government via the Audiology Services Advisory Group (ASAG) to monitor the effectiveness of audiology services for young deaf Scots.

Since 2007, we have successfully lobbied for national standards for the delivery of paediatric audiology services, and for an audit of all paediatric audiology services in Scotland. 

As part of this, NDCS wants the CHSWG network to be strengthened to encourage greater parental involvement in service monitoring and development, and shorter maximum waiting times for deaf children.

We have also led a successful campaign to ensure that profoundly deaf children living in Scotland are offered cochlear implants in both ears on the NHS if clincally appropriate.

Want to know more?  Read about the background to NDCS Scotland's campaigning on audiology services for deaf children.

The Scottish Government has recently announced a maximum 18-week waiting time target for audiology services in Scotland. 

NDCS Scotland believes that this is still too long for children. 18 weeks is half a school year. We're campaigning for shorter waiting times for children’s audiology services.

Key information:  As a result of our lobbying on this issue, we are encouraged that the Scottish Government's guidance on the delivery of the 18-week waiting time makes it clear that deaf children should be treated as a clinical priority and that 18 weeks is an absolute maximum.  Read more >

The Quality Standards for Paediatric Audiology also recommend that routine referrals be seen within 6 weeks, and urgent referrals within 4 weeks.

NDCS Scotland has led a successful campaign which has resulted in all profoundly deaf children in Scotland being offered the option of a cochlear implant in each ear on the NHS, if clinically appropriate.  Deaf children living in Scotland who already have one cochlear implant will now also be offered the option of having a second implant, if this is what they want and a clinician has decided that they would benefit.

This follows the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)publishing its final guidance on the issue, recommending that bilateral cochlear implants be made available on the NHS to all deaf children who would benefit in England and Wales.

NDCS Scotland met with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing in September 2008 to discuss the implications of this for deaf children in Scotland, and received an assurance that if NICE recommended the availability of bilateral cochlear implants for severe to profoundly deaf children in England and Wales, the same would be offered to deaf children living in Scotland.  This has now happened!

NDCS Scotland is now a member of the Implementation Group which has been convened by NHS Scotland's National Services Division to consider how to keep parents of deaf children informed and advised of this change.  We will ensure that information is posted on this website.

• April 2009:  Another campaign victory as the Scottish Government publishes the first ever national Quality Standards for Paediatric Audiology!  Read more > 
• April 2009:  NDCS Scotland responds to the Scottish Government consultation on the draft Quality Standards for Paediatric Audiology.  Take a look at our submission>NDCS Scotland Response to Draft Quality Standards in Paediatric Audiology - April 09 (121 kb)  
• February 2009: A campaign victory for NDCS in Scotland as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing announces that bilateral cochlear implants will be offered to profoundly deaf children living in Scotland, following the publication of guidance recommending this in England and Wales.  Read more >
• January 2009:  Following sustained lobbying by NDCS Scotland, the Scottish Government has now published a draft set of standards for the delivery of paediatric audiology services in Scotland.  Read more >

NDCS Scotland needs you!

• Have you received fantastic support from your local audiology team? 
  Tell us about it – what makes the support they offer you so effective? 
  
  
• Or, are you frustrated at lengthy waiting times? What has the impact been on your child’s development?
  Tell us – we need to know the scale of the problem. 

Case studies like these have helped NDCS to demonstrate to the government the case for action to review paediatric audiology provision in Scotland.  Keep them coming!

If you have any questions about this campaign in your area or if you would like to tell us about your experiences, please get in touch.

Email: campaigns.scotland@ndcs.org.uk

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