Children’s Audiology (Hearing) Services
NHS Islington community health services have joined with The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust and NHS Haringey community health services to form an exciting new organisation, called Whittington Health.
Find out more
Newborn Hearing Screening
We offer newborn hearing screening to all babies living in Islington or Camden or babies who are registered with a GP in either borough. Newborn hearing screening is currently carried out in 15 Health Centres across both boroughs. Clinics run at different times depending on the venue.
We automatically send an appointment for all eligible babies when they are a few days old. The appointment will be at a health centre near to their home. We need to see babies as soon as possible after birth and ideally no later than their fifth week. Changes to the appointment or venue can be made by calling 020 7527 1382.
We visit the Whittington and Royal Free Hospitals to test the hearing of any premature or unwell babies who are in the Intensive Care Units. We also go into HMP Holloway to screen babies in the mother and baby unit.
Hearing assessments for children
Hearing assessments are offered to all children up to the age of 18 years who live or go to school in Islington or Camden. Children can be referred to the service by any health care professional. This can include a health visitor, your GP, your child’s school nurse or a speech and language therapist. If your child’s school nurse refers to us they will need to send in an audiogram as well, which means your child will need to be tested by the nurse in school. We do not accept direct referrals from parents or children.
Top tips for keeping well
Ear care - do not use cotton buds to clean inside the ear canal or use them to remove wax. The ear has many tiny hairs just inside the ear canal and using a cotton bud can damage these irreparably. Ear wax is a natural occurring mildly antiseptic substance which is designed to catch any debris that enters the ear. The tiny hairs then waft out the wax with the debris attached.
If you or your children are bothered by excessive or hard wax then you could try inserting some very gently warmed olive oil drops for a couple of days to soften the wax and to ease its natural removal. If your child complains of ear pain or is clearly unwell then stop the drops and consult your GP.
Useful links
Contact Information
2nd floor
Northern Health Centre
580 Holloway Road
London
N7 6LB
Telphone: 020 3316 1886
Fax: 020 7690 2860
(please write “for the attention of Children’s Hearing Service” on any faxes that you send us)
Service manager:
Gill Reed, Audiology Sister/Hearing Screening Co-ordinator
Tel: 020 3316 1886
Email: gill.reed@islingtonpct.nhs.uk
Other key staff
Newborn Hearing Screening Administrator (appointments) - 020 7527 1382
Islington Audiology Administrator (appointments) - 020 7445 8202
Camden Audiology nswering machine (appointments) - 020 7530 2006
Opening hours
9am - 5pm Monday - Friday.
The Service Manager is usually available from 8.30am.
Out-of-hours
We do not operate an out-of-hours service. For urgent advice please contact your child’s GP or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.