How are patients assessed?

On the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programme, patients are normally seen for their first appointment within six weeks of receipt of their referral.

The assessment process is genuinely multidisciplinary, and includes audiology, speech and language therapy, education of the deaf, hearing therapy, radiology, psychology, medical physics and surgical input. The team work very closely together, in conjunction with the patient, their family and local professionals, where appropriate, in order to reach the appropriate recommendation

The initial appointment typically consists of:

• audiological assessment and a communication review
• an opportunity to explore the issue of cochlear implantation in relation to the individual patient
• current hearing aid provision is assessed and any recommendations for modification made
• the patient is assessed on how well they can hear with optimally fitted conventional hearing aids by checking the quietest sounds they can hear, how well they can understand speech, and how they manage from day to day.

Further medical, audiological and re/habilitational assessments are planned on an individual basis for each patient.

Once this process is complete, the patient attends a multi-disciplinary assessment clinic, in which staff from the range of professions involved, including the surgeon, come together to discuss the recommendation with the patient and their family where appropriate.

Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programme
Referral and implantation pathway

	Referral to Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programme
	Information sharing
	Initial assesment visit Audiological evaluation Initial communication assessment Counselling
	MRI scan of ears Further medical assessments Electrophysiological assessments Visual assessment Psychological assessments Other assessments
	Visits to home and school/nursery (for children) Communication Language evaluation
	Discussion and further evaluations
	Final visit to surgeon and multi disciplinary team
	Final consent
	Surgery
	Initial programming of system
	Rehabilitation phase (learning to use the system)
	Life-long maintenance

 

By Tracey Twomey
Clinical Scientist in Audiology and Manager of the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programme

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