Clwyd West MS, Darren Millar, and North Wales MS, Sam Rowlands got to see Wales’ first audiology mobile unit in action on a recent visit to Holywell Community Hospital, where they met with the Audiology Team to learn more about the improvements in care that the team have been able to provide.
The mobile unit, which has been in operation since late 2024, is fitted with specialist equipment, including a soundproof room, to allow audiologists to carry out the same tests and consultations as those performed in a clinic and represents a £90,000 charity-funded investment to make audiology services more accessible to rural communities.
During the visit, Darren and Sam met Jane Wild, Head of Adult Audiology at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, along with other members of the North Wales Audiology Team and heard about the services offered by the mobile unit. They also discussed concerns about paediatric waiting times for audiology care, which average five months, compared to the target time of six weeks.
Commenting afterwards, Darren Millar MS said:
It was great to meet the Audiology Team and to hear more about the valuable services that they are able to offer with the new mobile unit.
One of the unit's benefits is that it provides an integrated pathway, where patients’ first contact is with a specialist audiologist, without the need for them to be seen by a GP first.
I was particularly pleased to hear that the introduction of the mobile unit has led to a reduction in Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) referrals and an improvement in patient satisfaction, as the integrated pathway allows the process to proceed much more swiftly.
I was also glad to hear that the mobile unit provides wax removal services, as this is a service which several constituents have told me they’ve struggled to access through their GP.
Sam Rowlands MS added:
Both Darren and I represent a significant number of rural communities where accessing care can be difficult, so I’m very excited about the mobile unit’s potential to make care more accessible to our constituents.
I’m also pleased that the Audiology Team has recognised the connection between hearing loss and dementia and has ensured that memory assessments are integrated with their hearing services, making them the first such department in Wales to do so.
I hope that we may be able to see a wider rollout of this model across Wales and indeed the UK as a whole.
Aelodau'r Senedd yn gweld fan awdioleg newydd ar waith
Cafodd Darren Millar, Aelod o’r Senedd dros Orllewin Clwyd, a Sam Rowlands Aelod o’r Senedd dros Ogledd Cymru, gyfle i weld uned symudol awdioleg gyntaf Cymru ar waith yn ystod ymweliad diweddar ag Ysbyty Cymunedol Treffynnon. Fe wnaethon nhw gyfarfod â'r Tîm Awdioleg i ddysgu mwy am y gwelliannau gofal mae'r tîm wedi gallu eu darparu.
Mae'r uned symudol, sydd ar waith ers diwedd 2024, yn cynnwys offer arbenigol gan gynnwys ystafell gwrthsain. Mae'n caniatáu i awdiolegwyr gynnal yr un profion ac ymgynghoriadau â'r rhai sy'n cael eu cynnal mewn clinig ac mae'n cynrychioli buddsoddiad o £90,000 gan elusen i wneud gwasanaethau awdioleg yn fwy hygyrch i gymunedau gwledig.
Yn ystod yr ymweliad, fe wnaeth Darren a Sam gyfarfod Jane Wild, Pennaeth Awdioleg Oedolion Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, ynghyd ag aelodau eraill o Dîm Awdioleg Gogledd Cymru a chlywed am y gwasanaethau sydd ar gael gan yr uned symudol. Hefyd, trafodwyd pryderon am amseroedd aros pediatrig ar gyfer gofal awdioleg, sef pum mis ar gyfartaledd, o gymharu â'r targed chwe wythnos.
Wrth siarad wedyn, dywedodd Darren Millar AS:
Roedd hi'n braf cwrdd â'r Tîm Awdioleg a chlywed mwy am y gwasanaethau gwerthfawr maen nhw'n gallu eu cynnig gyda'r uned symudol newydd.
Un o fanteision yr uned yw ei fod yn darparu llwybr integredig, lle mae cyswllt cyntaf cleifion ag awdiolegydd arbenigol, heb yr angen i gael eu gweld gan feddyg teulu yn gyntaf.
Roeddwn i'n arbennig o falch o glywed bod cyflwyno'r uned symudol wedi arwain at ostyngiad mewn atgyfeiriadau Clust, Trwyn a Gwddf (ENT) a gwelliant mewn boddhad cleifion, gan fod y llwybr integredig yn caniatáu i'r broses fynd rhagddo yn llawer cyflymach.
Hefyd, roedd hi'n braf clywed bod yr uned symudol yn darparu gwasanaethau tynnu cwyr clustiau gan fod hwn yn wasanaeth y mae sawl etholwr wedi dweud wrthyf sy'n anodd ei gael trwy eu meddyg teulu.
Ychwanegodd Sam Rowlands AS:
Mae Darren a minnau'n cynrychioli llawer o gymunedau gwledig lle mae mynediad at ofal yn gallu bod yn anodd, felly dwi'n teimlo'n gyffrous iawn am botensial yr uned symudol i wneud gofal yn fwy hygyrch i'n hetholwyr.
Dwi hefyd yn falch bod y Tîm Awdioleg wedi cydnabod y cysylltiad rhwng colli clyw a dementia ac wedi sicrhau bod asesiadau cof yn rhan o'u gwasanaethau clyw, ac mai hon yw'r adran gyntaf o'i fath yng Nghymru i wneud hyn.
Gobeithio y gallwn weld y model hwn yn cael ei gyflwyno'n ehangach ledled Cymru ac yn wir y DU gyfan.
