Children’s Hearing Screening Unit – Halton, St Helens and Knowsley

General introduction

The hearing screening unit offers a hearing screen to all newborn babies who have a GP in Halton, St Helens or Knowsley or who are born at Whiston Hospital.

We aim to complete the screen within four weeks of birth, or before discharge for babies born at Whiston Hospital.

The main base for the newborn hearing screen is located on the Maternity Unit at Whiston Hospital.

Babies who could not be screened in hospital or whose screen was incomplete can be screened once they have been discharged from hospital. This can be done at one of the following clinics across the Halton, St Helens and Knowsley area for the convenience of families:

Lowe House, St Helens
Nutgrove Villa, Huyton
Whiston Primary Care Resource Centre, Whiston
Tower Hill, Kirkby
Woodview Child Development Centre, Widnes
Hallwood Health Centre, Runcorn

Most children will have test to check their hearing around the time they start school.

How to access this service

Every baby born at Whiston Hospital is offered a newborn hearing screen by a trained screener.

Screening takes place on:

Women’s Ward
Delivery Suite
Special Care Baby Unit
Children’s Ward (occasionally)

Babies who have an incomplete screen, or who are born at home, can be screened in community clinics.
Babies born at other hospitals but registered with a GP in our area will be transferred to us for an outpatient appointment.