Cochlear Implants

Midlands Hearing Implant Programme

The Midlands Hearing Implant Programme – Children’s Service

Our Hearing Implant Programme (generally known as the Cochlear Implant team) is one of the busiest in the UK. Since 1990, more than 1,800 adults and children on our programme have benefited from hearing with cochlear implants and middle ear implants to hear, learn to talk, enjoy music and experience significantly improved quality of life.

We provide a highly specialist regional service to children and young people from across the Midlands and beyond. We aim to be a centre of excellence and all team members keep their knowledge and skills up to date through a range of activities. These include teaching, research and publication, attending and presenting at conferences and delivering training. This ensures your child receives the best and most up-to-date care.

We offer a holistic, flexible service and always aim to keep parents and carers at the centre of your child’s care. We are proud to be one of the few NHS services in the UK to employ and train listening and spoken language specialists (Certification AVT™).

The team

We are a team of 18 individuals who are passionate about ensuring that all children with hearing loss have the opportunity to develop the best communication they can. Many children who are born with profound hearing loss are now able to learn to listen and talk using the most up-to-date amplification. For most children with profound hearing loss, the best option is cochlear implants.

Our team includes consultant ear nose and throat surgeons, nurses, audiologists, clinical scientists, auditory-verbal therapists, specialist speech and language therapists and administrators. We also work closely with colleagues in the hospital including radiology, psychology, play therapy, audiology, neurology and the anaesthetic department, amongst many others. In addition to the team at the Children’s Hospital, your local team of professionals play an essential role and we work together with them to support you and your child.

Location

We are based off-site from the main Children’s hospital in our dedicated unit, on the Aston University Campus in a building called Aston University Day Hospital, also known as Optegra. For SatNav, please use the postcode B4 7EH. You can park for free on the forecourt outside of our building, however, please be aware that you must register your car details with us on arrival. Please note the parking area is often busy and we cannot guarantee a space.

Contacting us

Reception is usually staffed between 8am and 4pm on weekdays. If you leave a message we will call you back but it might be the next working day. The number is 0121 204 3830
For parents and carers who are unable to use the telephone, our text number is 07825 385 618
For non-medical queries, you can email us at MHIP.clinicalsupport@nhs.net

Attending in person for appointments or to collect equipment

We are open 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday excluding bank holiday.
We do not offer a walk-in repair service. Please always contact us first to arrange a suitable time to attend, even if you are only collecting replacement equipment. If you attend without an appointment, reception staff may be unavailable to help and the clinical team will not be able to see you.

Urgent medical advice

During our opening hours please call us in the first instance. You can also call Birmingham Children’s Hospital on 0121 333 9999 and ask to speak to the ENT secretarial team (Mon-Fri 9am to 4pm)
Outside of normal office hours:
Contact your out-of-hours GP and they will be able to call the hospital and speak to an ENT doctor on call for advice
or
Attend Birmingham Children’s Hospital Emergency Department

Our address is:

The Midlands Hearing Implant Programme
Aston University Day Hospital
Aston University
Birmingham
B4 7ET