Independent panel to investigate Townsville University Hospital audiology as more impacted kids found in clinical review

More children have been found with issues after a clinical review at Townsville University Hospital revealed issues with cochlear implant mapping and flawed diagnostic testing. Here’s the latest.

Baby with a cochlear implant. (Image/Josh Woning)

Townsville Hospital and Health Service has revealed more than 80 children have been caught up in the paediatric audiology debacle, with the clinical review expected to wrap up this month.

This comes as an expert panel has been convened to investigate audiology services at Townsville University Hospital after last month it was revealed issues had been discovered with cholera implant mapping, and flawed diagnostic audiological test results.

Highly-respected and longstanding members of the medical community Sree and Venkatesh Aithal were stood down as part of a clinical review.

News Corp Australia does not suggest wrongdoing by Mr and Mrs Aithal, merely that the hospital is reviewing its procedures.

THHS chief executive Keiran Keyes says while the complex review is “taking time”, the health service has engaged audiologists from the Children’s Health Queensland and Cochlear Australia to provide extra support, including Saturday clinics which are expected to start this week.

So far, 59 children who had their cochlear implants mapped at TUH have been reviewed, with 14 requiring urgent recall.

Six of those children have had appointments, while six are waiting to be seen and two are being supported with access to services closer to home, Mr Keyes said.

‘‘The concerns we have only relate to the programming of their child’s implant and there have been no concerns identified about the surgical implantation or manufacturing of the device,” he said.

‘‘The child should continue wearing their sound processor as usual.’’

Mr Keyes said 341 babies had required follow-up screening, with 313 cases already reviewed with 244 not requiring any further follow up.

The remaining 69 required an in-depth review.

“Of the 69 in depth reviews, six children require no further follow up, 48 now require recall and 15 currently have their in-depth review underway,” Mr Keyes said.

‘‘It’s expected the review of all 341 children will be completed by the end of May.”

Kieran Keyes.

The chief executive also called for the parents of babies born after January 2020 and required follow-up care after their newborn hearing screen who had not heard from the health service to call 0744337902.

“If you haven’t heard from us, it’s likely we have been trying to reach you on the contact details provided at the time of your appointment,” he said

‘‘If your baby did not require follow-up care, there is no reason for concern, and we do not need to speak with you.’’

Mr Keyes said while he could not provide specifics from individual reviews, he could confirm that patients form both groups who required follow-up care were being seen.

‘‘Follow-up screening appointments require a longer appointment (at least two hours per patient) as well as the expertise of two audiology experts,” he said.

Mr Keyes said the additional audiology support would commence from Monday 22 May.‘

“Where suitable, we are also scheduling Saturday clinical times for our patients,” he said.

Mr Keyes said the five-person panel had been formed to investigate the audiology services, including systems, performance and governance at TUH.

‘‘The independent panel will look at the clinical systems and processes in audiology services at our hospital to provide recommendations and advice that will guide our service in the future,” he said.

‘‘The terms of reference have been agreed and panel members include experts in audiology and clinical governance as well as a consumer representative.

“The provision of safe, quality care is our commitment to our community.”

Mr Keyes said the investigation would start in the coming weeks and was expected to take about four months to complete.

Originally published as Independent panel to investigate Townsville University Hospital audiology as more impacted kids found in clinical review