08/02/2016
Children in West Fife are benefitting from a new Paediatric Audiology facility at Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline.
The service provides hearing assessments and rehabilitation to newborn babies, pre-school and school children. Previously, children from the area would have had to travel to the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, for assessment and the new facility allows them to be seen closer to home.
Central to the service is the installation of a bespoke sound-proofed assessment room, which uses a two-way mirror and state-of-the-art technology to allow Audiologists to monitor a child as they undertake a number of hearing assessments. The room has also been furnished with a play area, featuring educational toys, seating, storage units and a desk, following a donation from the Friends of Queen Margaret Hospital group. The Paediatric Audiology service is provided by a dedicated audiology team, led by a Chief Audiologist and supported by Senior Audiologists, who work Fife-wide.
The facility is the latest phase of the wider redevelopment of Queen Margaret Hospital, which also includes centralising a number of primary care and community services on-site and the creation of a Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, bringing together Day Surgery, Day Intervention, Urology and Endoscopy.
Head of Audiology Services, Carol Sinclair, commented:
“Hearing difficulties can delay a child’s ability to develop language skills and can often make communication more difficult. By providing children with access to early assessment and diagnosis, we can identify any hearing issues at a crucial stage and provide ongoing support in their development.
“Importantly, the new facility at Queen Margaret Hospital improves access to our service and ensures that children will continue to be cared for in line with national quality standards for Paediatric Audiology services. This is an exciting time for all staff involved in the delivery of Paediatric Audiology services in Fife.”