New Paediatric Audiology Outpatients officially opened at the Horton General Hospital

On Monday 26 October the new Paediatric Audiology Outpatients Department at the Horton General Hospital was officially opened by 12-year-old patient Antony from Bicester, alongside Chair of Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), Sir Andrew Morris, Jamie French from the Horton Hospitals Charity and Head of Audiology Rachel Humphriss.

Children and young people in Banbury and north Oxfordshire are now able to access specialist hearing assessments closer to home, thanks to the creation of this new paediatric audiology room, funded by NHS England and Oxford Hospitals Charity at the Horton General Hospital at a cost of over £300,000.

The new facility provides a dedicated, fit-for-purpose environment for paediatric audiology services. It includes a soundproof room with specialist equipment, enabling clinicians to carry out a range of hearing assessments for children.

The room has been created from a former meeting room, and the building work involved reinforcing the floor in order to install the modular soundproof booth which weighs six tonnes!

The new facility means that children and their parents from north Oxfordshire have an alternative to travelling to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for specialist audiology appointments, also relieving pressure on the paediatric audiology department there. The Paediatric Audiology Team work across both departments.

Sir Andrew Morris, Chair of OUH, said: “It was lovely to meet staff at the Horton who provide this excellent and important service and to meet Antony and his family.

“This new unit supports the NHS Long Term Plan's commitment to delivering care closer to home, ensuring patients can access high-quality services in locations that are convenient for them whenever possible."

Rachel Humphriss, Clinical Scientist and Head of Audiology at OUH, said: “We are so pleased to be in this fantastic new space which is so much better for our young audiology patients in Banbury and the surrounding areas. This purpose-built facility means that they can attend their appointments much closer to home, while having the benefits of specialist equipment and facilities.”

Antony is 12 years old. After his ears did not respond to his newborn screening test, his family were told that he might be deaf. Two weeks later they visited the audiology department for a more in-depth assessment where he was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. A further test two weeks after that confirmed the diagnosis.

Mary, mother of patient Antony, said: “We were delighted that Antony was picked to officially open the new Paediatric Audiology Outpatient department at the Horton General. It will make a difference to lots of families in north Oxfordshire and the Banbury area who are able to get appointments nearer to home. The staff who work in the service have been really helpful for Antony and our family and this new space will make their jobs easier too. It is good news!

“The audiology team was always incredibly supportive and never made me feel alone throughout this journey. They were always so kind, explained everything to me in great detail, and greeted me with a big smile every time, giving me so much hope. At the beginning, when you receive a diagnosis like this for your baby, it feels as though the ground has been pulled out from under your feet.

“After the diagnosis, we had regular visits to the audiology department until he was assigned a Teacher of the Deaf, who visited us at home every week. She adjusted his hearing aid as his ear grew and helped him discover new sounds and adapt to his new world of sound.

“Finally, at eight months old, he received his cochlear implants, opening the door to a wonderful new world where he could hear so much better.

“On the day his implants were switched on, he smiled so much and looked at me in disbelief, almost as if he were thanking me as he heard my voice for the first time. He was still such a tiny baby, but the whole process went incredibly well and smoothly.

“Today, my lovely son can hear almost as well as the rest of us! Thank you to the fantastic Audiology Department for being by my side every step of the way, never leaving me to face this journey alone. I will always be grateful for the kindness, care and support they have shown us.”

Jamie French, Interim Programme Manager from Oxford Hospitals Charity said: “We were delighted to be able to support these major improvements to help ensure the best possible accuracy to test and monitor hearing loss, and make hospital visits more fun and interactive for children. We are truly grateful to all those who support our charity to make this possible.”