The NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) offers all parents in England the opportunity to have their baby’s hearing screened shortly after birth.

It aims to identify hearing loss early in newborn babies. Early diagnosis enables earlier support leading to better outcomes for children from the start.

Description of service

A hearing screen is offered to all eligible babies under 3 months of age in England. The screen usually takes place at the birth hospital, locally this is Queens Hospital. Babies who missed the hearing screen are automatically offered an outpatient clinic appointment at the nearest clinic to their home.

Referral method

You should be automatically offered a screen for your baby shortly after birth.
If you have any concerns please contact NHSP based Queens Hospital but also hold outpatient clinics across the borough and can be contacted on:

01708 435000 ext 4921 or newbornhearingscreening@nelft.nhs.uk

Changing or cancelling your appointment

To cancel or change an outpatient appointment please call 01708 435000.

Before your appointment

Please bring your child's red book (personal child health record) to the appointment, and anything that will help settle your baby.

During your appointment

The appointment will last around 15 to 40 minutes. One of our hospital screeners will place a small tipped earpiece into the outer part of your baby's ear which plays soft clicking sounds. If your baby can hear this sound, the ear will send a response back to the equipment.

Depending on the outcome of these tests, and whether your baby has been in special care, we may need to carry out further investigations.

After your appointment

Results are given at the appointment. If there are unclear responses in one or both ears, we will refer your baby for further audiological investigation at our NELFT Diagnostic Audiology Service. 

Useful websites

• NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme