8 March 2019

HCIA welcomes the first hearing health roadmap

HCIA welcomes the first ever national Hearing Health Roadmap endorsed today by all COAG Health Ministers.

“HCIA applauds the creation of a Roadmap to chart a concerted set of actions for all stakeholders to advance the hearing health of Australians. In particular, we would like to thank Minister Wyatt for his championship and the contributions of stakeholders from across the hearing health sector and Department of Health,” HCIA Chairman, Mr Ashley Wilson AM said.

“HCIA members take pride in how they provide client care to thousands of hearing impaired Australians each year. But there is more to be done to ensure those in need gain access to information, hearing health technology and rehabilitation services vital to their ability to communicate effectively with their families, community, and be productive workers. That is why HCIA was an active participant at the table and sponsored economic analysis of the economic and social costs of hearing loss that informed the deliberations. What Australians now require is ongoing political bipartisanship and the resources to be applied to realise Roadmap outcomes.

“It is also fitting that this historic initiative has been realised as part of Hearing Awareness Week 2019,” Mr Wilson said.

The Roadmap is divided into six themes or ‘domains’ that include actions to address: full inclusion of people who are deaf or hard of hearing into the Australian community; the catastrophic levels of ear disease amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; avoidable hearing loss; the earliest possible detection of hearing loss; informed relationships between consumers and providers of hearing devices and services; and the requirements of a growing and trusted professional and volunteer workforce.

A copy of the Hearing Health Roadmap will be on the Department of Health website at www.health.gov.au/

About HCIA: The Hearing Care Industry Association represents private providers of hearing devices and services for hundreds of thousands of hearing impaired Australians nationally. HCIA’s members help clients make informed choices about their hearing and provide them with excellent care. HCIA’s vision is to serve the Australian community by facilitating the delivery of world-class hearing healthcare to all Australians. HCIA has at the core of its mission to help all Australians who are suffering from hearing loss achieve a better quality of life.

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Hearing Care Industry Association info@hcia.com.au