The audiology department, based at Epsom and St Helier hospitals, handles approximately 17,000 appointments each year and employs 15 staff. It runs adult and paediatric services for patients with a range of hearing difficulties.
The audiology and audiological medicine department manages and provides treatment for conditions such as:
The department also provides NHS approved hearing aids and offers:
People across Epsom, Sutton and St Helier with hearing difficulties can now access a faster service that has cut the wait for an appointment, by over two years.
Previously, patients were typically waiting over 30 months to be seen by a specialist clinician. It was taking some patients even longer to be seen if they needed a specially adapted hearing aid.
Problems arose from 2004 onwards after analogue hearing aids were being withdrawn across the country to make way for new digital systems which resulted in significant additional demand.
This meant each patient needed additional and longer appointments, adding to the pressure.
However, since then, staff in the audiology department provided extra clinics and, combined with additional funds from NHS Surrey and NHS Sutton and Merton, waiting times have spiraled downwards.
Information on hearing and balance tests
As part of your consultation in the audiology department, the doctor may ask for any combination of hearing or balance tests to help diagnose your problems. The following is a brief outline of the procedures you may have:
