Statement of purpose

Aim of the Service

To provide a high quality service for deaf children, teenagers and adults, based on sound scientific research. The service is part of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton in a purpose built building.

To maintain our role as the leading centre in the South of England and to provide a high quality all-age service at a competitive cost.

The provision of implantable hearing devices is Nationally Commissioned and is funded by Specialist Commissioning within the NHS. There is a tariff set for some parts of the procedures.

Provider’s details

The University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service (USAIS) is based in Building 19, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton SO17 1BJ (Tel No. 02380 592533, email: ais@southampton.ac.uk).

The organisation’s CQC Provider ID is 1-127898196. The registered manager at this organisation is Emily Arbuthnott (email: e.j.arbuthnott@soton.ac.uk).

Cochlear Implants

USAIS requires a referral from Ear, Nose and Throat or Audiology professionals. USIAS is an all-age centre accepting referrals for children, teenagers and adults.

USAIS provides an assessment prior to cochlear implantation, cochlear implant surgery and support following surgery. The surgery for the cochlear implantation takes place in one of a number of local hospitals.

In accordance with the NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance 166, suitable candidates for cochlear implantation will have a severe to profound hearing loss and demonstrate limited benefit following a reasonable trial with appropriate hearing aids. Unaided hearing levels will be 90dB(HL) or greater at 2 and 4 kHz. For adults speech perception test scores should additionally be in the region of <50% at 65 dB(A) or worse.

All patients are reviewed regularly to check the functioning of their device and to monitor their progress –this may be done via an appointment, via a questionnaire or via other methods to monitor and provide care remotely. Ongoing therapy sessions are offered according to need. Implant service users and their family members are invited to workshops (music and cochlear implants, how to use accessories with an implant, parent training programmes etc). Medical reviews are also over at specific intervals as per protocol unless requested earlier.

All the above practices are laid out in procedures and protocol documents available to all staff within the department and these in turn independently meet set standards published by: The British Cochlear Implant Group, The National Deaf Children’s Society, and The Royal National Institute for Deaf People, the Map of Medicine and the NHS Commissioning Guidelines for Cochlear Implantation.

Bone Conduction Hearing Implant (BCHI) devices

Referrals are accepted for patients who have a range of hearing losses which might be conductive, mixed or sensori-neural and these individuals might be suitable for Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHA) or middle ear implants. A procedure for the assessment and life long follow up of these patients is available.

Auditory Processing Disorders Service

Children (from about 6 years of age) and adults suspected of having auditory processing disorders are referred to USAIS to facilitate assessment and intervention. The patient pathway is available. Currently the majority of these patients are self-funded or funded via health insurance.

Self-funded cochlear implant services

Referrals are accepted for adults who have one cochlear implant via the NHS and wish to be considered for a second device on the opposite ear, and also from adults whose hearing loss means they may benefit from cochlear implantation but for whom results of hearing tests put them outside of criteria for NHS funding.

Private hearing and balance services

Referrals are also accepted for self-funded or privately funded specialist hearing and balance services, specifically balance and eye movement assessment, hearing assessment, tinnitus counselling and vestibular rehabilitation.

Governance procedures

Regular audit of the USAIS’ outcomes is carried out and published annually. Peer review is regularly carried out using a variety of methods e.g. the Audiology Services tool (assessment by a professional from another cochlear implant team), case presentation within the team, peer review, team membership on national cochlear implant forums and bodies which develop policies and procedures, continuing personal performance and development review for all staff, publications and presentations in peer reviewed journals and conferences.