Audiology services

The Adult Hearing Centre assesses hearing and balance as well as fitting and maintaining hearing devices. We also work alongside ENT to provide hearing and balance testing.

Existing hearing aid users

All adult patients currently wearing NHS hearing aids do not need a GP referral but can contact us directly for advice or to book an appointment at any of our main hospitals and satellite sites – please choose the relevant site for your location:

Basildon - call 01268 394732 or email mse.adminaudiology@nhs.net or by post at Adult Hearing Centre, Level C Jubilee Wing, Basildon Hospital SS16 5NL.

This includes patients that were fitted with an NHS hearing aid elsewhere and have now moved into our area.

Broomfield - call 01245 513237 or email mse.broomfieldaudiology.info@nhs.net. 

We also offer appointments at the clinics below which need to be booked through the main Audiology department in Chelmsford for:

St Peters Hospital, Maldon - open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Braintree Community Hospital - open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Southend - call 01702 385019 or email mse.audiology@nhs.net.

We offer appointments at the clinics below, all of which need to be booked directly through our audiology department:

• Southend Hospital: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm
• Canvey Outpatients, Long Road: Every first, third and fifth Monday, 9am to 4.15pm, Every Friday 9am to 4.15pm.
• Tyrells Clinic: Thursdays, 8.45am to 4.30pm
• Leigh-on-Sea Primary Care Centre: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
• Southend Medical Centre: Tuesday 9am to 5.30pm

Referral of new patients

Referral criteria:

• Patıent must be at least 18 years of age/no longer in full time education.
• the patıent must have been seen by the GP, who has made arrangements for wax removal (if necessary).
• no perforatıons
• no otalgıa
• no vertıgo (not to be confused with common unsteadiness often associated with old age)
• no sudden onset hearıng loss (this requires emergency/on-call ent appointment.  In some cases there is only a 48-hour window before loss is permanent)
• no sudden deterıoratıon of an exıstıng loss. (This should be managed as per sudden onset hearing loss, see above)
• no fluctuatıng hearıng loss (this requires routine ent referral)
• no assymetrıcal hearıng loss (this requires routine ent referral).

Housebound Adult patients

If you are housebound, you can be seen by an audiologist in your own home or care home, but we need an initial GP referral through email.

Hearing therapy works closely with audiology to provide hearing therapy, counselling, and support for patients with hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance problems.

Hearing therapy referrals can only be accepted from Audiology or ENT. If you have an appointment or a question, please contact:

Basildon - mse.adminaudiology@nhs.net

Broomfield - mse.broomfieldaudiology.info@nhs.net

Southend - mse.audiology@nhs.net.

Basildon

The service provides assessment for babies and children up to the age of 18. Children with complex needs can remain under the service until the age of 24 if required.

An extensive rehabilitation service for those requiring hearing aids is provided with ongoing support and monitoring for the period of time the hearing aid is needed. This includes children who move into the area whose hearing aids are fitted elsewhere.

The service works closely with Education colleagues to support children in the use of their hearing aids.

The service is also responsible for the provision of Newborn hearing screening on the maternity ward or at outpatient clinics

Referrals

Referrals are accepted from GP’s, ENT service and Paediatricians. Should Health Visitors and Speech Language Therapists require a hearing assessment for a child, parents will need to request a referral from their GP.

Call 01268 394926 or email mse.hearcare@nhs.net.

Location: Children’s Hearing Centre, Level D, Maternity Block, Basildon Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL.

Broomfield

The paediatric children’s service provides diagnostic assessments of hearing function on all babies and children until the age of 18, or until full time education finishes with intensive rehabilitation for babies and children requiring hearing aids.

The service works closely with eduction colleagues to support children in the use of their hearing aids.

If you need to get in contact, please email mse.broomfieldaudiology.info@nhs.net.

Southend

We aim to provide a high-quality, efficient and friendly service for all children with suspected audio-vestibular and communication disorders in order for them to achieve their full potential.

All children with hearing concerns will need to be referred to either the ENT department or to the paediatric audiology clinic at the Lighthouse Child Development Centre.

Babies tested through the newborn hearing screening program will be referred directly to our audiology team where required.

Basildon

Hearing aids should have the tubing replaced approximately every 6 months. Replacement tubing can be sent by post if you feel able to replace your tubing yourself. Please contact us using the contact details above.

If you need help with replacing your tubing or need a repair on your hearing aid, an appointment can be made at either Orsett or Basildon Hospital using the contact details above.

You can also post your aids in for repair - you will need to provide a large letter stamp for return postage. Hearing aids should be sent to Adult Hearing Centre, Level C Jubilee Wing, Basildon Hospital, SS16 5NL.

Batteries (for adults and children)

Batteries can be collected at any of the following locations. Each battery can be expected to last between 5 and 10 days. You will be given two packs of batteries per hearing aid. Please take your battery record card when collecting batteries:

• Aveley Library: Purfleet Road, Aveley, RM15 4DJ
• Belhus Library: Derry Avenue, South Ockendon, RM15 5DZ
• Blackshots Library: Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU
• Chadwell Information Centre: Brentwood Road, Chadwell-St-Mary, RM16 4JP
• Corringham Library: St Johns Way, Corringham SS17 7LJ
• East Tilbury Library: Princess Avenue, East Tilbury, RM18 8ST
• Grays Library: Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 0HG
• Tilbury Library: Civic Square, RM18 8AD
• Aveley Medical Centre: GP Surgery 22 High Street RM15 4AD
• Orsett Hospital: Hearing Centre First Floor Orsett Hospital, Rowley Road RM16 3EU
• Basildon Library: The Basildon Centre, St Martins Square, SS14 1EE
• Billericay Library: 143 High Street, Billericay, CM12 9AB
• Laindon Library: 5-7 New Century Road, SS15 6AG
• Pitsea Library: Community Centre off Maydells Pitsea SS13 3DU
• Vange Library: Southview Road, SS16 4ET
• Wickford Library: Market Road, Wickford, SS12 0AG
• Basildon Hospital: Adult Hearing Centre, Level C Jubilee Wing, Basildon Hospital SS16 5NL.
• Alternatively, you can send a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Adult Hearing Centre using the contact details above. Please note a ‘large letter’ stamp is required to cover the postage costs.

Broomfield

If you need help with replacing your tubing or need a repair on your hearing aid, an appointment can be made at either Broomfield, St Peters or Braintree Community Hospital using the contact details above. This is an adult only service.

We also have a postal service. You can send for new tubing, slim tubes and batteries. You can also send your aids in for repair. You will need to provide a large letter stamp for return postage.

Audiology Dept, A101, Broomfield Hospital, Court Rd, Chelmsford, CM1 7ET.

Batteries

You will be able to collect batteries from the following locations on production of your brown book or issue card:

• Chelmsford Central Library
• Braintree Library
• Witham Library
• Kelvedon Library
• Coggeshall Library
• Silver End Library
• Billericay Library
• South Woodham Library (Tues-Sat)
• Moulsham Lodge Clinic
• Springfield Green Clinic
• The Writtle Surgery
• Danbury Medical Centre
• Braintree Community Hospital
• Dunmow St.Clare’s Hospice Charity Shop
• Brentwood Community Clinic
• St Peters Hospital Maldon
• William Fisher Medical Centre
• Maylandsea Medical Centre
• Plantation Hall Heybridge
• Freshwell Health Centre, Finchingfield
• Tollesbury Surgery
• Burnham Library
• Halstead Library
• Sible Hedingham Library
• Broomfield Hospital League of Friends shop A111 between 9am and 3pm
• You can also access http://c2hearonline.com for advice and operational assistance for your hearing aids.

Southend

Patients will need to provide their hearing aid record book/card.

We also have a postal service. Patients can send for new tubing, batteries or send their aids in for repair. They will need to provide a large letter stamp for return postage.

Batteries

NHS Hearing aid batteries can now be collected from the following clinics/libraries:

• Benfleet: Tyrells 39 Seamore Avenue, SS7 4EX – 01702 385533
• Canvey Outpatients, The Paddocks SS8 0JA - 01268 686000 and Canvey Outpatients, Long Road, SS8 0JA - 01702 385111 and The Health Centre, Third Avenue - 01268 683758.
• Eastwood: Kent Elms Surgery – SS9 5UU, Dr Krishnan (ground floor) - 01702 52201
• Great Wakering: Health Centre High Street SS3 0HX - 01702 577800
• Hadleigh: Victoria House Corner SS7 5TG- 01702 578600
• Hockley: 53 Spa Road, SS5 4AR- 01702 578700
• Hullbridge: Riverside Medical Centre, 175 Ferry Road, SS5 6JH - 01702 230555
• Leigh-On-Sea: Leigh Primary Care Centre, 918 London Road SS9 3NG. (Near Iceland) - 01702 482800
• Belfairs Chemist: 327 Eastwood Road North - 01702 525123
• Rayleigh: Eastwood Road, SS6 7JP - 01268 366600
• Rochford: Raphael House, Old Ship Lane, SS4 1DD - 01702 543404
• Shoeburyness: Campfield Road, SS3 9BX - 01702 987798
• Southend-On-Sea: Warrior House, 42 – 82 Southchurch Road, SS1 2LZ – 01702 456820 and St Lukes Health Centre, Pantile Avenue, SS2 4BD - 01702 611505
• Westcliff-On-Sea: The Valkyrie Road Primary Care Centre, 50 Valkyrie Road - 01702 220170 and North Road Primary Care Centre, 183-195 North Road - 01702 224900
• Brentwood Area: Brentwood Community Hospital, Crescent Drive - 01277 695000.
• The following libraries are issuing batteries:
  • Brentwood
  • Shenfield
  • Ingatestone and Billericay library. Contact them on 03456 037628.
• Alternatively, you can send a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope to the audiology department, Southend Hospital.