Children Waiting over a Year for Audiology Appointments in Donegal ‘Deeply Concerning’ – Doherty

 
Figures obtained by Sinn Fein show that over 110 children on Donegal have been waiting over a year to access audiology services.
Deputy Pearse Doherty says the figures are deeply concerning:
Figures released by the HSE show that there are currently over 800 children on the audiology waiting list, 110 of whom have been waiting over twelve months for an appointment.
The HSE Community Audiology Service was established to provide a comprehensive audiology service for infants, children as well as eligible adults and medical card holders and offers hearing assessment, diagnostic and habilitative services, hearing aid fitting and follow-up care to patients.
It is generally accepted that early intervention is key in cases involving young people as problems relating to hearing loss or hearing impairment in children can have a detrimental impact on their development and educational attainment if not properly treated.
There are also currently 870 adults awaiting an appointment for audiology in Donegal
Deputy Doherty is calling for more resources to be made available to the service in order to alleviate the demands which are being placed on it, particularly within children’s audiology services.