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The next stimulus came from the Maternity and Child Welfare Services and
culminated in the formation of a local "Audiology Team" in May 1955, and the
introduction of the regular training of health visitors in the screening of babies
and pre-school children in 1957.
Interest was first aroused by an account of the work which was being done in
Leicester by Dr. Berenice Humphreys and Mrs. Irene Ewing (later Lady Ewing). This
was published in the "Medical Officer" of January 2nd 1954. This article described
how health visitors were being trained in the screening of young children and were
also taught to do some diagnostic testing and auditory training. The Medical Officer
of Health and the Senior Medical Officer for Maternity and Child Welfare visited
Leicester and learnt much from being present as observers during a session in which
Lady Ewing, Br. Humphreys, two specially trained health visitors and a teacher from the
School for the Deaf demonstrated the work which they were doing with pre-school
children. The Senior Medical Officer subsequently visited the Department for the
Education for the Deaf at Manchester University, and was shown some of the work done
in the Department, and also the training which was being given to the Lancashire County
health visitors.
Up to 1955 pre-school children resident in West Ham who required special
investigation for suspected hearing loss were often referred to the Audiology Unit of
the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, Gray's Inn Road. As our knowledge
of the work being done at this Unit grew, an increasing number of such children were
referred for investigation. Some of these were found to have considerable hearing
loss, and after being fitted with a hearing aid, were taken on for a period of auditory
training. This entailed visits to the Unit, usually at least once a week.
Towards the end of 1954 several requests were received through the Health Visiting
Service, on behalf of the parents of these children, whose journeys to the Unit were
causing them considerable expense and inconvenience, although they greatly appreciated
the skilled help which their children were receiving. The health visitors asked
whether it would not be possible to arrange for the investigation and training of these
children at a local clinic. We received much encouragement for the idea that we should
start an audiology clinic of our own, and generous offers of help from all concerned,
to train our staff in this exacting work. We took full advantage of these offers, and
the Senior Medical Officer paid several visits to the Unit and later attended a two-day
course for medical officers, which was Organised by the Unit.
In 1955 the Health Committee, having heard the report of the Medical Officer
of Health, recommended that an Audiology Team, comprising officers with special knowledge
already, in the employ of the Council, be formed for the purpose of the detection and
treatment of deafness in young children. From its inception, the Team was directed
by Mr. C.J. Scott, Consultant E.N.T. Surgeon at Whipps Cross Hospital. Through an
agreement with the Regional Hospital Board, Mr. Scott was already doing three ear, nose
and throat sessions in local authority clinics. As the Team was to meet approximately
once a month, it was possible for Mr. Scott to undertake this work without increasing
the total number of sessions allotted for local authority work. The other members of
the Team were the Head Teacher of the West Ham School for the Deaf, the audiometrician,
two specially selected health visitors, and the Senior Medical Officer for Maternity
and Child Welfare.
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