The Hearing Care Centre provides range of support services for ENT Specialists. We offer immediate availability for all, but the most time consuming tests and use formal written protocols to ensure uniformity of test results and maintenance of quality standards.

Features of the service include: -

A high quality testing environment - to ensure accuracy and repeatability of results and to comply with all relevant national and international standards. Routine testing is carried out in an IAC 402-A RF shielded booth conforming to ISO 8253-1 An additional sound treated room is available for paediatric testing and hearing aid evaluation

Testing carried out to recognised international standards - The following protocols and procedures are followed to ensure compliance with the most exacting clinical requirements: -

Calibration Standards - All equipment is regularly calibrated using NAMAS accredited engineers with equipment traceable to The National Physical Laboratory.

Pure tone audiometry - Manually recorded pure tone audiometry is carried out in accordance with the following protocols and procedures: -

BJA 1981 -15, 213-216 Recommended procedure for manual instruments.

BJA 1985 - 19, 281-282 Bone conduction, not masked.

BJA 1986-20 307-314 Masking in Pure Tone Audiometry

Tympanometry and acoustic reflex determination is carried out using The British Society of Audiology Procedures for Best Practice, as published in the British Journal of Audiology, BJA 1992-26 255-257.

Speech audiometry - Reported or unreported speech audiometry is available carried out according to protocols developed by BMI based on procedures developed at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, Southampton, U.K.

Cortical ERA (SVR)/Brainstem ERA (BSERA) - There is no generally accepted protocol or best practice policy published by the British Society of Audiology for ERA. We therefore adhere to the protocol set out in the document 'BMI Audiology Services reference for ERA'.

Other diagnostic audiometric tests - are carried out in accordance with The British Society of Audiology Procedures for Best Practice where available or otherwise in accordance with written departmental protocols.

Medico-legal assessments - Our testing protocols and procedures are designed to be suitable for medico-legal purposes. Our stringent calibration and controlled test environment ensure the highest standards of reliability and accuracy. Assessments can be carried out in accordance with the 'Black Book' - Assessment of Hearing Disability - Guidelines for Medicolegal Practice.

Paediatric assessment - We offer a range of services to assist in the diagnosis and management of paediatric hearing problems including facilities for assessment of children below 4 years of age. This includes the development of a 'child friendly' testing environment for free field paediatric audiometry.

Oto-acoustic emissions testing - Taking advantage of some of the most recent developments in clinical audiology, we offer transient and distortion product oto-acoustic emissions testing as a simple and reliable way to make objective measurements of cochlear function. Key applications include paediatric evaluation and medico- legal assessment.

Vestibular function testing - We offer a comprehensive range of vestibular function tests including bi-thermal air calorics with electronystagmography. These tests can assist in the clinical diagnosis of disorders of balance function. Testing is carried out in accordance with British Society of Audiology recommended procedure BJA 1999 - 33, 179-184 Caloric Test Protocol - Recommended Procedure.

Hearing aid evaluation - a sophisticated range of tests to facilitate optimal hearing aid fitting, including free field speech in noise testing coupled with in-situ gain measurements. Use of NOAH compatible hearing aids allows real-time adjustment and optimisation of hearing instruments in simulated 'real-life' sound environments.

For further information contact The Hearing Care Centre

0800 028 6179