Local Constituency MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency, Fiona Hyslop, has commented on the fact that as many as six children missed life changing surgery due to being missed out for assessment by NHS Lothian. The findings came to light following the British Academy of Audiology report on NHS Lothian’s Paediatric Audiology Services which showed that at least half a dozen children had missed being referred for Cochlear Implantation Surgery. It also reported on a systemic issue with a much larger number of cases affected and made a series of significant recommendations. Fiona attended a briefing on Friday (10th Dec) organised by NHS Lothian which set out how they were taking forward the recommendations of this Report.
Fiona commented,
“This is an extremely serious matter which will have caused a great deal of distress to the children and families affected. 6 children in the Lothians area could and should have received Cochlear implantation surgery but were missed in early assessment and therefore missed out on life changing surgery.
“The briefing I attended with NHS Lothian on Friday (10th Dec) set out how affected children and families have been identified and supported but I am seriously concerned that it took a child’s family taking their concerns to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman for this systemic failure of service to be identified.
“I plan to raise my concerns directly with the Scottish Government to ask how they will ensure that they will action the calls from the Deaf Society to ensure that they look out how to improve child hearing services across Scotland to introduce independent verification of standards, training and assessments along with other needed changes.”
ENDS