CHILDREN S HEARING SERVICES

Transcription

1 CHILDREN S HEARING SERVICES 1. Contact details Children s Hearing Services The Gem Centre Neachells Lane Wednesfield Wolverhampton WV11 3PG Telephone: Fax: Minicom: Text: rwh-tr.childrenshearingservices@nhs.net Is your service city wide? Yes, it covers the whole of Wolverhampton. How to get to your service including public transport and any help with transport? Families can visit by public transport (e.g. by bus) or by car. There is free car parking at the Gem Centre including disabled bays. Please visit the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust and local bus network websites for further details. 2. What does your service do? What is the key purpose of your service? The key purpose is to provide assessment, treatment (e.g. hearing aids) and support to children and young people with hearing and balance difficulties. We are a team of Audiologists (scientifically and technically trained professionals in hearing and balance problems) and a Consultant in Audiovestibular Medicine (medical doctor with specialist training in hearing and balance disorders). The local manager for the newborn hearing screening programme is a Health Visitor by profession. We are supported by office administration staff.

2 What are your key outcomes for families? The key outcomes are: 1. To identify hearing and balance problems by carrying out routine and complex tests as well as specialised diagnostic tests. 2. To provide advice and ensure that the child or young person and their families/carers get the maximum benefit from his or her hearing and listening. 3. To provide, maintain and support the use of hearing aids. 4. To be approachable and listen to the needs of the child and the family/carer. What are the typical activities that you do? Typical activities are: 1. Talking to the child and family/carers about the child s hearing and balance problems. 2. Assessing hearing and balance difficulties. This may involve doing routine hearing tests appropriate to the child s development as well as complex and specialised diagnostic tests. 3. Once a week, we participate in a play group at the Gem Centre organised by the Sensory Inclusion Service for children with hearing and visual impairment. 4. Reviewing children and young people in special needs schools. 5. Recommending, providing and maintaining/repairing hearing aids 6. Referring and working with other professionals to ensure that the child gets an all-round input and support. Some of these professionals include: a. Speech and Language Therapists b. Ear Nose and Throat doctors c. Children s Specialists (Paediatricians) d. Advisory Teachers of the Hearing Impaired from the Sensory Inclusion Service 7. Referring children who need specialist amplification aids such as bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants to specialist hospitals that provide such services e.g. Birmingham Children s Hospital, Nottingham Auditory Implant Service 8. Removing ear wax if this interferes with hearing assessments or with using hearing aids 9. Providing specialised counselling for tinnitus and hyperacusis 10. Provide rehabilitation to children with balance difficulties Are there any time restrictions for families? The Children s Hearing Service at Gem Centre is open from 9am to 5pm during weekdays, Monday to Friday. We will try to answer any questions left by phone, or fax within the same day or by the next working day.

3 Does your service relate to any particular legislation? Children and Families Act 2014 Are there any differences in your offer in different parts of Wolverhampton? No, there is no difference 3. Who are your users? What age range do you cover? We cover from birth to 16 years. Newborn babies are usually referred through the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme. This is a national programme that offers hearing screening to all babies. Around age 14 years, for those young people using hearing aids, we discuss about transferring to Adult Hearing Service based at West Park Hospital. This is called transition. If the young person is ready, then his or her care will be transitioned to Adult Hearing services at age 14 years. At age 16 years, all young people, whether they use hearing aids or not, will be transitioned to the Adult Hearing Services at West Park Hospital. We have named audiologists who will help with this change over from Children s to Adult Hearing Services. What are the eligibility criteria to use your service? Any child or young person with hearing and balance difficulties can access our service. How are decisions made about who can use your service? This is governed by Departmental Policy. What if we move outside Wolverhampton? Children and their families who move out can still continue to use our service. We will discuss with the child and the family/carers if it is practically easy to go to the local Children s Hearing Service. 4. How can I start using the service? What is the referral process? We accept referrals from numerous professionals. Please discuss your concerns with your Health Visitor, Speech and Language Therapist, GP, Children s Specialist (Paediatrician) or Ear Nose Throat Specialist doctor so that they can refer to us.

4 There is a referral form where we ask details about the parent/carer, areas of professional concern, significant medical problems, whether the child passed the newborn hearing screening test and family history of hearing problems. This form will help us to allocate your child to the appropriate clinic. Is there a charge for the service and if so, what? There is no charge for the service. Can I use my personal budget to pay? No, there is no provision to use your personal budget at present. Is there a waiting list and if so, how long is it? Yes, there is a waiting list and this is on average two weeks (as of July 2014). 5. What can I do if I am unhappy about a decision that your service makes? In the first place, please speak to us and discuss your concerns. We will try our best to resolve your concern. If you are still unhappy, you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at New Cross Hospital. Please see the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust website for further details. How are decisions made and how is that decision shared with families? Decisions are made on the day of the clinic and shared with the child and the family face to face. 6. How do you communicate with service users and how are they involved in decision making/planning? What are your usual methods of seeking the views of service users? We carry out a service user satisfaction survey twice a year at the Gem Centre. Parents/carers of children using hearing aids can attend the Children s Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG) meetings held twice a year. This is a multi-agency meeting and parent/carers attend the meeting to raise and discuss concerns. We also discuss compliments and complaints at staff meetings so that we can learn from the situation and improve our service. What type of information do you provide? Parents/carers get a written copy of the clinic report/summary. This may give details of the child s hearing and balance difficulties, significant medical details, hearing and/or balance test results and a management plan. We also give out written leaflets about our services as well as general booklets on conditions related to hearing and balance problems from national charities such as the National Deaf Children s Society.

5 How do you communicate with users whose first language is not English? We arrange relevant professional interpreters (in relevant spoken language as well as sign language interpreters) to be available for the child s appointment. Therefore, it is important to let us know that you need an interpreter. 7. How accessible is your service? Is the building fully accessible to different types of need? Yes, the Gem Centre is a purpose built building for children with different needs. 8. What skills and training do staff have in relation to SEN and disability? Skills are maintained by daily exposure by working with children with Special Educational Needs Senior staff train more junior staff (i.e. in-house training) Staff visit schools for children with special educational needs for exposure We work along with other professionals based at Gem Centre who deal with children with special needs. 9. Who is my first point of contact if I have questions or need further information? Please contact the Children s Hearing Services at Gem Centre directly (contact details given above) 10. How do I give a compliment or make a complaint about your service? There are paper slips at the Reception at Gem Centre You can contact us by telephone, , text or fax. Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Children s Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG) 11. How is your service monitored and reviewed? The specialised diagnostic test results are regionally peer-reviewed according to national standards. The national Newborn Hearing Screening Programme carries out its own Quality Assurance process on a yearly basis. Our service is also reviewed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (also known as UKAS). This is the sole national accreditation body recognised by government to assess, against internationally agreed standards, organisations such as our service, that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services. What format do you currently have this information in? Currently this information is in written format. Children s Hearing Services, Gem Centre July 2014