Modernising hearing aid services

Modernising Children’s Hearing Aid Services (MCHAS) was the title of the research and training programme which introduced digital signal processing hearing aid technology into the NHS.

The programme ran from 2000 to 2005, during which time all audiology departments in England, received training in the new technology. Alongside the introduction of new hearing aid technology, new fitting procedures and working practices were introduced.

Children are now routinely fitted with digital hearing aids.

Guidelines covering these procedures were written and are now accepted by the profession as standard quality practice.

Outcomes

Our aims were to:

  • Provide information and materials (primarily for teachers and audiologists) relevant to the fitting and management of children’s hearing aids.
  • Provide a forum for paediatric audiologists to contact each other in order to nurture good practice and share experiences.

The MCHAS guidelines are now embedded into clinical practice and are used as a quality standard by which good practice in paediatric audiology can be measured.