The Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP) is planning a new visiting service in Taranaki for existing cochlear implant patients.
The programme has approximately 35 children and adults in its care who are based in the Taranaki region. Patients travel to our Wellington clinic for their ongoing care after assessment and surgery in our Christchurch facility.
The launch of a visiting service will reduce the travel burden that many patients face in visiting our Wellington clinic. We expect that with a reduced travel burden that clinic sessions will be more effective for patients, and that patients and families will need to take less time out from school, work, or other community activities.
The information presented here is for patients and families in Taranaki who visit our Wellington clinic and who may wish to access a local service. Detail about the proposed visiting service is outlined here, and we attempt to answer questions people may have.
If you have further questions, these can be addressed to the programme through the contact details at the bottom of this page.
When will the service begin?
The planning at this stage is for a 2-day visiting service in early November 2016. Dates will be confirmed in due course. We expect to be able to see up to 10 patients in the 2-day visit planned.
Where will the service be based?
The visiting service will be hosted in the Audiology department at Taranaki Base Hospital. TheAudiology department is offering their rooms for the period of our visit and have sound-treatedfacilities for some testing.
Who will be providing the service?
All services will be provided by SCIP staff normally based at our Wellington clinic. Our Wellington Audiologist (Hatten Howard) and one of our Wellington-based Habilitationists (Lisa Fawcett) will be providing services. The visiting service is a professional development opportunity for Taranaki Base Hospital staff to find out more about how cochlear implant services are provided, but they will not be providing services directly. The Hospital is operating as a host for SCIP staff only at this stage.
Who will be able to access the service?
The service will be available to existing SCIP recipients in Taranaki, both children and adults. The service is designed to provide easier access for patients who might otherwise find access to our Wellington clinic difficult. The visiting service will be prioritised for patients as follows:
- Those in the first 3-6 months post switch-on who require frequent travel
- Those not well enough to travel to our Wellington clinic
- Those without access to transport to travel to our Wellington clinic
- Those who do not have a support person to assist them with travel to our Wellington clinic
Appointments will be offered to patients identified above, in the first instance. Any appointments remaining for the visiting clinic will be offered to other patients on the basis of clinical need.
What services will be available?
The visiting service will include:
- MAPping services
- Checking, repair, and if necessary issue of loan/replacement processors
- Replacement and dispensing of spare parts
- Aided Audiogram and speech perception only as necessary
- Habilitation for young children, based on need at the time.
Are there any of your usual services not available at a visiting clinic?
There are some patients who will not be able to access the clinic and some services will not be
available:
- The service is only available for existing recipients.
- The service won’t involve assessment of new patients, and surgical services are not available.
- Services for adults will be limited to Audiology; a Rehabilitation appointment will not be available.
- Services will be by appointment only; it will not operate as a “drop-in” service.
- Services that are not specialist CI clinic services and that are available through local providers (e.g. ear moulds, hearing aid services, ear health, ORL services)
We may add some of these services at subsequent visits.
How often will the service be offered?
Clinics are likely to be held every 3-4 months to a maximum (at this stage) of 3 visits per year, depending on patient numbers and clinical demand.
What is the process for arranging appointments for the visiting clinic?
All appointments will be co-ordinated out of the SCIP Wellington Office. After an appointment is confirmed, staff from our SCIP office will liaise with patients to ensure they are properly prepared for the visiting clinic
appointment.
I normally travel to your Wellington clinic for my appointments. Will I still have access to a travel subsidy for an appointment at the visiting clinic?
The NTA (National Travel Assistance) regulations still apply for patients attending our visiting clinic. The availability of a travel subsidy may depend on the distance you travel from your home address to our visiting clinic at Taranaki Base Hospital. You should consult your travel coordinator for advice.
Can I have all of my clinical services provided through a visiting clinic?
No. The visiting clinic will not eliminate the need to visit our Wellington clinic for some of your clinical care. Those in the early stages post-implant will need more frequent appointments (particularly for MAP changes) than we are able to provide on a visiting basis. Also, we may not be able to provide a complete array of Audiology, Habilitation, and Rehabilitation services during visiting clinics.
Do I have to use the visiting service?
No – patients living in Taranaki who travel to our Wellington clinic for their care may still elect to do so rather than be seen at our visiting clinic.
Who do I contact if I have queries?
Enquiries from patients should be directed to the SCIP Wellington clinic; patients are advised not to contact Taranaki Base Hospital.
Sue Anderson
Southern Cochlear Implant Programme
Level 1, 119 Queens Drive
Lower Hutt 5010
Ph. 0800 504 405
Email: scip.wellington@scip.co.nz