Information on the costs of missed appointments in audiology is not collected centrally.
The organisation of audiology departments and hearing aid centres is the responsibility of district health authorities.
Figures for audiology are not identified separately in waiting list data.
One may receive ear, nose and throat treatment in other areas, but the audiology department is unique.
Quite simply, audiology is not, or was not, a priority.
By the time the deadline for applications for pilot status was reached, we had received more than 80 expressions of interest from audiology departments.
The responsibility for audiology and hearing aid services rests with individual health authorities.
I have no evidence to suggest that there is a general shortage of student audiology technicians, although there are no doubt difficulties in some localities.
