Newborn hearing screening will reach South Tipp in November
From November 2011, South Tipperary General Hospital will be offering parents of newborn babies the option to avail of a hearing screening test before being discharged from the hospital. The Health Service Executive (HSE) Service Plan 2011 has provided funding for the second phase of the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme and in response to a query from South Tipp Today, has confirmed that this phase will reach South Tipperary General Hospital by November 2011 and Waterford and Wexford hospitals this September.
Funding of €11 million is available for audiology services annually but an additional €3.7 million will be invested in 2011 by the HSE.
Since April 2011, parents of all babies born at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) have been offered a hearing screening test for their baby prior to being discharged. The test is available free-of-charge for all babies and any baby who did not have a clear response in one or both ears from the test was sent for a full audiological (hearing) assessment at an Audiology Clinic in Cork University Hospital (CUH) shortly after discharge.
Work undertaken by a review group commissioned by the HSE examined the audiology services available in Ireland, with an extensive consultation process with public, service users, relevant professionals and stakeholders. The review group came up with a number of recommendations.
It found that better use of existing resources, coupled with additional funding, improved education and training and integration of services across hospital and community settings will deliver better value for money and represent a long term investment in providing the best possible care, with improved health and social outcomes for clients. There are many dedicated and committed professionals working to deliver good quality audiology services under challenging circumstances. The review group found good examples of multi disciplinary teams working together for the benefit of patients. Arising from the recommendations of the review group, work is now underway to improve access and deliver high quality, consistent audiology services around the country. This is just the beginning but the review process has already led to some positive changes in the audiology services.
The HSE said that it is conscious that there are variations around the country in terms of waiting lists, duplicated referrals, inappropriate referrals, lack of integration across hospital and community services. In the short term, a validation exercise will take place over the coming months which will help reduce waiting lists. In the long term, more efficient care pathways and newborn hearing screening will help reduce inappropriate referrals and waiting times across hospital and community setting.More efficient care pathways will reduce inappropriate referral and waiting times across hospital and community settings, according to the HSE.
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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