Click on Logo to enter the Main site (for members and others)...      

NEWS JANUARY 2010:  Happy New Year to all members and to the new Committee.  Just to let you all know that our New Seretary is

Therina O'Mahony who can be contacted at O'Mahony.Therina@sivuh.ie

Next committe meeting  8th  February

Jennifer and Emma and Nicolaas are standing down from the committee and we wish them all the best! 

AUDIOLOGY REVIEW GROUP- Submissions are now officially closed for the HSE review but if any of you stll have important things to convey then comments may be accepted - see HSE website for details.

2nd October in the Radisson Hotel Little Island Cork was a great day of professional development and conversation with everyone who's anyone in Audiology! 

Jonathan Parsons and Jim Collins were excellent guest speakers who stimulated further thinking about professional development JP Cork 2009.ppt and influencing services.  Lean management got a good airing with Jim's presentation  Lean Healthcare presentation.ppt. 

And our own members contributed well this year with local projects and innovations (see further down page for those links.  Well done all! 

COMMITTEE NEWS: Committee meetings in Temple Street April June September and December for the new Committee where Deepak Kumar became the new Treasurer in place of Nicolaas and Therina took over as Secretary from Jennifer. Jean remains on as Chairperson to oversee the transition to a Profesional Body which is with the solicitor at the moment. HSE Community Hearing Services and Hospital services remain very small and underfunded by international standards and hopes of UNHS seem to have faded completely with the recession and cutbacks.

Comments have always been welcome to this website and will be published if not slanderous, so it is frustrating that 'someone' is not happy about something written (even if factual), but is not willing to participate in a defence or discussion online. 

Deafhear ongoing Hearing Screening project is within Holles Street, but what is the clinical audit process to ensure that referral rates are appropriate.  'NICU' Children, the new screening targets, have special needs and criteria - not the original 'target group' intended by Deafhear, needing knowledge and experience to supervise follow-up.  Complaints were registered on behalf of ISA.

http://www.irishmedicalnews.ie/index.php/current-issue/editorial-comment/1118-the-silent-problems-of-audiology

Please follow the link above to see how Martin's excellent work is starting to make waves in Health...  - we need to publicise our problems and recognise the complete understaffing and isolation which afflicts so many of us in our working life and the only way to do that is collect accurate statistics...

                                  ANNUAL CONFERENCE and AGM:

Radisson Little Island, Cork, on Friday 2nd October 2009 and more than 50 people signed up early - seems like a sensible way to ensure attendances!   Most stayed for the AGM of course, where a slight amendment to the constitution was agreed, and a second term was suggested for Jean Hegarty to see through the Academy process already underway.  When that is in place, we will have to reconsider the role of ISA as it is currently constituted...

Also note the Middle Ear course ran in December in Stewart's Hospital Palmerstown over 2 days by the regular Guymark team who are coming over for 37 people!  This training ifunded by HSE who have generously supported it in 2009; details from Jean Hegarty.

Academic Contributions:  Vestibular Rehabilitation from 2008Vestibular Rehabilitation ppt. 

CUEs can be claimed for ISA/BSA/BAA/ISHAA/BSHAA/IMO and EFAS/AAA etc... meetings with suitable evidence of content or where similar schemes are allocating points per hour. So start collecting!   

HSE are currently  sponsoring 4 Irish students to attend B.Sc. Audiology courses in the UK  but there are no plans to expand that at present due to the current economic climate unfortunately, Can your dept take on placement students?  If so, let Jean Hegarty know...   The year would need to be divided between diagnostic and rehabilitation. 

JOBS:  Interesting that Audiology is not listed as an 'exempted post' despite the clear dearth of Audiologists and severe lack of services in a number of areas.  On the positive side, can over-50s can apply for the early retirement scheme.... what are your views?

There are, however, posts available in Northern Ireland in Audiology. (and indeed worldwide), and a quick Google will show you some of the opportunities available.  Anyone interested in finding out more Northern Ireland can contact Colleen Butler at: cbutler@bbt.co.uk , Beresford Blake Thomas Clarence Chambers, 18 Donegall Square East Belfast, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland BT1 5HE  Tel: +44 (0) 2890261670.

There was talk of ISA asking Professor Adrian Davis to come and sort out Neonatal Hearing Screening Programmes here.  Contact the Website for your views to be aired at: theresapitt@eircom.net