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Audiology pilot
17/11/2009
A pilot scheme aimed at improving the information held on the number of children diagnosed with a hearing loss will be launched and is expected to be underway by early 2010.
Running in NHS Tayside and NHS Lothian the Local Record of Deaf Children aims to improve services and support for hearing impaired children by increasing the awareness of the numbers of young people living with hearing loss.
Public Health Minister Shona Robison made the announcement today on a visit to Donaldson's School, Linlithgow, which teaches pupils who are deaf or have severe speech and language difficulties.
During her visit Ms Robison said:
"I would like to thank Donaldson's for inviting me to see their new school building today. The building may be new but Donaldson's has a history stretching back over 150 years.
"Universal newborn hearing screening has been provided to all newborn babies in Scotland since 2005. However there is limited data on the number of children subsequently diagnosed with a hearing loss and also on their degree of deafness.
"Early identification of hearing loss in children provides an opportunity for a range of agencies to be involved in their support, improved development and educational attainment.
"That is why the local record of deaf children will be invaluable and over the longer term will allow us to share information between the agencies involved in supporting hearing impaired children and those planning support services."
Jan Savage, The National Deaf Children's Society added:
"Only by knowing how many deaf children there are at local level can services plan to meet the needs of those children and their families. NDCS has long been concerned that this information has not been routinely collected in the UK.
"We therefore welcome the Minister's announcement today that work is now underway to pilot local records of deaf children by NHS board area. We congratulate the Scottish Government on taking action to start this pilot process. This breakthrough means Scotland is on course to be the first UK country to know how many deaf children there are and where they live - and to be sure that we are collectively getting it right for every deaf child.
"This vital information will help professionals in health, education and social care services plan for a world without barriers for every deaf child in Scotland."