All Adult patients with unilateral or bilateral hearing loss – with or without tinnitus – but no other red flags (see below) should be referred to Audiology NOT ENT. Please see Audiology for more details. Audiology is able to offer otoscopy and pure tone audiometry (PTA).
PLEASE DO NOT REFER TO BOTH ENT AND AUDIOLOGY AT THE SAME TIME. If a patient referred to ENT needs a hearing test the Dept will organise the test directly.
If there is unilateral tinnitus or presumed inner ear / sensorineural hearing loss, please mark this clearly on the referral so the patient will be seen by an audiologist qualified to send the patient directly for an MRI scan if required. If the audiologist is concerned, they can refer on to ENT.
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is an ENT emergency. Please see Sudden sensorineural for more details
For conductive hearing loss, hearing aids are often recommended prior to considering surgery.
People who already have an NHS hearing aid, can contact the Audiology Department directly without a referral. See Hearing aid for more details
Who to refer:
Anyone with documented hearing loss and the following red flags:
1) Recurrent infections
2) Discharging perforations/ discharging mastoid cavities/ abnormal appearance of drum
3) Polyps, possible foreign bodies
4) Persistent ear pain
5) Pulsatile tinnitus
6) Sudden hearing loss or sudden deterioration
7) Vertigo/unsteadiness not consistent with age or existing pathologies
8) Conductive hearing loss.
Who not to refer:
- Anyone with hearing loss and no red flags, whether or not tinnitus is present (please refer to Audiology instead)
- Those with NHS hearing aids who require help with those please see Hearing aid for detail
How to refer
Via SCI Gateway to ENT Lauriston / St John’s, Livingston / East Lothian Community Hospital Hearing Loss pathway.
