Newborn hearing screening

We are part of the national programme -  Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP).

The NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme Vision:
 'Improving outcomes for every child through a high quality hearing screening programme, safe and effective assessments and family centred intervention'.

  • to ensure equality of access to newborn hearing screening and in doing so reduce health inequalities
  • to offer high quality newborn hearing screening to the parents of 99% of babies born in England
  • to offer all babies who record 'no clear response' to the initial screening, further safe and effective audiological assessment
  • to identify all children born with moderate to profound permanent bilateral deafness within four to five weeks of birth
  • to improve outcomes for every child identified with moderate to profound permanent deafness through effective rehabilitation
  • to promote and develop family friendly integrated services which support effective early intervention for deaf children
  • to empower parents to make informed choices for their child throughout the entire newborn hearing care pathway
  • to be recognised as the world's leading newborn hearing screening programme, sharing the latest research and best practice guidance.

Newborn hearing screening (Homerton CHS)

(Part of NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP))

Have your baby’s hearing checked!

The Newborn Hearing Screening team is based at Homerton University Hospital and can be reached at 020 8510 5738. 

The programme

The Newborn Hearing Screen helps to identify babies with a hearing loss very early in life so that any necessary treatment can begin before six months of age, the crucial period in a baby's life for speech and language development.

Every year 1 to 2 in every 1,000 children are born with a hearing loss.  Most of these babies are born into families with no history of hearing loss. Profound deafness and hearing impairment can have a huge impact on a child’s language, communication and overall development.

It is important to have your baby’s hearing tested before leaving the hospital or soon after discharge from hospital but ideally before one month of age.  The screening team offer newborn hearing screening to all eligible babies as soon as possible after birth at Homerton hospital or at a number of clinics at health centres in Hackney.

Newborn hearing screening

We are part of the national programme -  Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP).

The NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme Vision:
 'Improving outcomes for every child through a high quality hearing screening programme, safe and effective assessments and family centred intervention'.

  • to ensure equality of access to newborn hearing screening and in doing so reduce health inequalities
  • to offer high quality newborn hearing screening to the parents of 99% of babies born in England
  • to offer all babies who record 'no clear response' to the initial screening, further safe and effective audiological assessment
  • to identify all children born with moderate to profound permanent bilateral deafness within four to five weeks of birth
  • to improve outcomes for every child identified with moderate to profound permanent deafness through effective rehabilitation
  • to promote and develop family friendly integrated services which support effective early intervention for deaf children
  • to empower parents to make informed choices for their child throughout the entire newborn hearing care pathway
  • to be recognised as the world's leading newborn hearing screening programme, sharing the latest research and best practice guidance.

Newborn hearing screening (Homerton CHS)

(Part of NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP))

Have your baby’s hearing checked!

The Newborn Hearing Screening team is based at Homerton University Hospital and can be reached at 020 8510 5738. 

Follow-up and intervention

If the test does not show a clear response from both ears, you will be referred to Hackney Ark Audiology Department for further testing by an audiologist (a hearing specialist). This often happens at the second test, and it doesn't necessarily mean that your baby has hearing problems. 
Since the first year of life is critical for normal speech and language development finding out early about your baby hearing means that if necessary, you can get advice and support to help your baby communicate with you and others.

Appointments

If the baby does not complete its newborn hearing screen before it is discharged from hospital, an outpatients appointment is offered at a convenient time, date and location for the family.  A range of locations (accessible by public transport) is made available in order to facilitate the family’s attendance at this appointment.

If you have recently had a baby who has not received a hearing screen in the hospital, please ring 020 8510 5738 to make an appointment.