SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is backing a new initiative to assist audiology services in North Wales.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Health Minister, was commenting after it was announced that Audiology teams across Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board have come together to create the first Audiology Vehicle in Wales.
The van will provide high quality NHS care to rural communities in North Wales, improving outreach and complementing the existing service in local hospitals.
Mr Rowlands said: “I am delighted to support this venture, the first in Wales, as it can only help to improve services for the people of North Wales.
“It is a great idea to have a vehicle which can actually go out to rural places so that people, particularly the elderly, can be seen locally rather than having to travel to alternative medical units.
“I am a great believer in offering NHS services locally, where possible, as it all helps to ease the pressures at our main hospitals.
“It is also a great addition to the services already offered by the BCUHB Audiology teams and I am sure it will be a great success.”.
The project, which is completely charity-funded, has only been possible thanks to funding from Awyr Las: The North Wales NHS Charity and NHS Charities Together.
The high-spec van, which began hitting the road this month, has been fitted with all the specialist equipment an audiologist needs to carry out accurate tests whilst serving the more rural communities in North Wales.
The almost £90,000 project has been created to best meet the needs of people living with hearing related conditions. Quiet hearing test conditions can be difficult when out in the community, so the van has been kitted out with a soundproof room.
Hearing, tinnitus and balance difficulties can affect around 1 in 6 people in North Wales and if they are unmanaged, can have a significant impact on quality of life.
John Day, Clinical Director of Audiology, said: “The Audiology Teams have worked together for the past two years to bring this fantastic project to light. The new Community Audiology Vehicle has only been made possible thanks to the hard work from the Audiology Teams, Awyr Las and NHS Charities Together. We are all looking forward to seeing what this project achieves and how it better supports our rural communities across North Wales.”
Chris Easton, Director of Strategy and Impact at NHS Charities Together, said: “We are thrilled to have contributed £30,000 towards this important pioneering project, which has the potential to improve diagnosis and treatment for anyone living with hearing-related conditions.
“We know that there are still huge inequalities in access to healthcare, but everyone should be able to access quality NHS treatment, no matter where they live. We hope that the audiology van will make a huge difference to those living in rural communities across North Wales and we look forward to hearing from staff and patients about their experience using this innovative service.”
This brand new service will operate across North Wales complementing the existing network of fixed sites across the region, offering improved access to high quality adult Audiology services, closer to people’s homes, the Health Board’s Audiology service is always ‘Hear to Help’.
