The Audiology unit provides hearing assessments and advice for infants, children and adults of any age throughout the Loddon Mallee region.

Patients may be referred by their general practitioner, speech pathologist, paediatrician, teacher, or other professional, or may refer themselves or their children.

Patients are also seen within the hospital system, either as ear, nose and throat (ENT) outpatients or as inpatients. This service is the only diagnostic hearing service provided to the public in the region, and conditions commonly encountered include: ear infections; hereditary deafness; exposure to occupational and/or recreational noise; hearing loss associated with age; dizziness; and noises in the ears (tinnitus).

Public funding accounts for hospital based work, while community referred clients are bulk billed through Medicare.

Some interesting facts:

• Hearing is crucial to the normal development of speech and babies start learning to communicate from the moment they are born. Even newborn babies can have their hearing tested using sophisticated equipment.
  
  
• Two in every three people working in noisy environments have hearing loss as a result of the noise. Exposure to loud noise is the most common hearing impairment for adult Australians and is the most common basis for compensation claims. Noisy recreational activities such as firearm use, motorbike riding and listening to loud music can also cause hearing loss.
  
  
• One in three people over the age of 65, and one in ten people of all ages have significant hearing impairment which affects communication and quality of life.