An audiology support program developed at our Speech and Hearing Clinic has been recognised with a Gold Partner Award from children’s charity Stewart House.

The program involves clinic staff and Master of Clinical Audiology students screening the hearing and middle ear function of children visiting Stewart House. This includes some of the most disadvantaged and at risk children and young people from all areas of NSW, including a large indigenous population. The program has tested hundreds of children to date with approximately 20% identified as requiring further attention from their local audiology service, school, General Practitioner or an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist.

Phil Nakad, Audiology Clinical Manager, has been key to establishing the program and sees the award as a win-win for both Stewart House and Macquarie.

“This program ensures that chronic hearing issues are detected and treated in this vulnerable group. The sooner such issues are treated and managed, the better a child or young person’s educational and health outcomes become,” explains Phil. “Our audiology students also gain broader practical experience, seeing cases they may not have previously had exposure to”.

The program is continuing to expand and expects to cover more than 1000 students annually. The key staff involved in the program include Phil Nakad (Audiology Clinical Manager), Rebecca Kim (Associate Lecturer, Audiology), Dr Mridula Sharma (Senior Lecturer, Audiology), Yee-Foong Stone and Andrew Myles (Clinical Placement Coordinators) and our dedicated Master of Clinical Audiology students.

Learn more about the services available at Macquarie University’s Speech and Hearing Clinic.