Audiology

The Townsville Hospital and Health Service Audiology Department provides diagnostic audiology and cochlear implant services for patients of all ages in the North Queensland Community. 

The team specialises in all areas of diagnostic audiology, including electrophysiology and vestibular assessments.  A referral from a GP or other Medical Specialist is required for all diagnostic assessments.

Clinics operate from the Townsville University Hospital campus in Douglas and at Kirwan Community Health Service.  The Audiology service delivers several specialised clinics: 

North Queensland Cochlear Implant Clinic (NQCIC)

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The Townsville Hospital and Health Service Audiology Department delivers the only public cochlear implant program outside South-East Queensland and accepts referrals for cochlear implant assessments for patients residing from Sarina to Cape York and west to Mount Isa. 

NQCIC is a multidisciplinary team consisting of specialist clinicians from the professions of Ear Nose & Throat Surgery, Audiology, Speech Pathology, Social Work and Psychology. This team provides comprehensive Cochlear Implant Candidacy assessments and support for those patients who do not receive benefit from wearing traditional hearing aids.    Patients who undergo cochlear implant surgery remain under the care of NQCIC for long term management and support.  NQCIC does accept cochlear implant recipients transferring in from other services. 

Referrals to NQCIC are accepted from GPs and other Medical Specialists. 

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Childhood Hearing Clinic (CHC)

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The Audiology department co-ordinates the CHC clinic, a dedicated multidisciplinary team for children up to two years old with permanent hearing loss.  The CHC team is comprised of Audiologists, Speech Pathologists, Paediatricians and Ear, Nose and Throat Consultants.  The purpose of this clinic is to investigate the cause of the diagnosed permanent hearing loss and provide support and recommendations for families navigating the diagnosis of permanent hearing loss.  The CHC team works closely with Queensland Health’s statewide Healthy Hearing Family Support Service and the Hearing Australia Paediatric Audiologists who are responsible for managing hearing aid fittings for infants and children.

Children may be referred for audiological monitoring, hearing aid fitting, or cochlear implant assessment from the CHC. 

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Community Hearing Screening  

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Based at Kirwan Community Health Campus, the department offers an Audiology-led hearing screening clinic delivered by an Allied Health Assistant for children aged nine months to 16 years of age. Parents are able to refer their child for hearing screening when there are concerns regarding hearing, speech and language development, speech clarity or learning or behaviour.   A medical referral is not required.  Children who do not pass hearing screening tests are directly referred to the Audiologist for diagnostic assessment and management. 

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Referrals

A medical referral is required for all diagnostic audiology assessments. Please send referrals to the North Queensland Referral Hub:

(i) faxed to the referral hub on +61 7 4433 0940 or
(ii) emailed to {"ct":"g3r7Ugf2An+KstRhSfVAfdBjuW+Et1Bp+cJCBn+7S+HcrryDqdoXbOoC1s7A6OQW","iv":"ffdbdf08bc77e85ae866b18527187b93","s":"745318db673dd874"}

A medical referral is not required for Community Hearing Screening.

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Contact us

Phone: (07) 4433 2762
Fax: (07) 44332761
Email: {"ct":"DK7QdlBhRL3XLXB8lJRO327UeWQ+1gO4emjBPbfv8eSIQBwjh0S1XskT8yYrm+U2","iv":"bf0f81fc7c68a8a0b515ac5dc7821449","s":"383a8693001cdf07"} (all appointments)

Clinic Locations

Level 1, Surgical Outpatients Clinic, The Townsville University Hospital,100 Angus Smith Drive, Douglas, 4814

Kirwan Community Health Campus, 138 Thuringowa Drive, Kirwan, 4817

Clinic Hours
Monday to Friday
8.00am - 4.30pm