Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:180 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the tests, if any, carried out to assess the hearing capabilities of younger people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5746/00]
Written Answers. - Hearing Tests.
The provision of tests to assess the hearing capabilities of younger people, as an integral component of child health services, is the statutory responsibility of the health boards. Such tests are currently provided as part of the existing child health services for both pre-school children and children attending national school.
As a result of the identification of the need for a review of child health services in the health strategy, Shaping a Healthier Future, the chief executive officers of the health boards initiated a review of the services in question. This review resulted in the recent publication of the report Best Health for Children.
The report contains a wide range of recommendations on all aspects of child health services, including the issue of screening for hearing defects. In so far as the assessment of hearing defects is concerned, recommendations cover issues such as: the need for a well-organised audiology service; consideration to be given to the introduction of universal neonatal screening on a pilot basis; retention of the existing sweep of hearing of school children on the basis that all children at age five-six years are tested; availability of procedural guidelines for hearing tests in all location; training in audiology for all staff involved in screening and regular evaluation of the programme.
The chief executive officers have established a national conjoint child health committee and appointed a national child health co-ordinator for the purpose of overseeing implementation of the recommendations of the report in the health boards.