Children and Young People’s Audiology
Your audiologist is referring your baby to the North East Regional Cochlear Implant Programme.
It is a good time to refer your baby because this enables both the local team and the cochlear implant team to work together closely with us to assess your baby’s hearing and offer the best way forward.
What happens next?
When we receive a referral at the cochlear implant team, we allocate a keyworker based on where you live. The keyworker will give you a telephone call about 2 or 3 weeks after the referral was sent. We will also send you a letter to tell you we have accepted the referral and some information about cochlear implants.
The local teacher of the deaf and the cochlear implant keyworker will arrange a virtual appointment at a time which suits you. This appointment is to discuss your questions and concerns.
During this appointment, the keyworker will explain to you what will happen in the cochlear implant assessment. They will tell you about the different people you will meet and the timescales for the appointments.
During the assessment process you will still visit your local audiology department for your baby’s hearing aid care.
What about my views?
We carry out a cochlear implant assessment so that we can decide whether cochlear implants are likely to help your baby hear more than they can with hearing aids, and, therefore, give a better opportunity for them to learn to hear and speak. However, the decision whether to go ahead once that advice has been given is only with parents or carer’s agreement.
There will be many people who parents and carers can talk to during the assessment, including other families who have a child with a cochlear implant. We hope this will help you to make your decision when the time comes.
Contact us
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm
Patient experience
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you wish to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Department who will advise you on how best to do this.
This service is based at The James Cook University Hospital but also covers the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, our community hospitals and community health services.
To ensure we meet your communication needs please inform the Patient Experience Department of any special requirements, for example; braille or large print.
T: 01642 835964
E: [email protected]
The James Cook University Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW.
Telephone: 01642 850850
