How long more must Lucy wait?

THANK you for highlighting the waiting times for audiology services in Cork (May 5). My daughter Lucy, aged 2, was referred to the audiology services based in North Main Street in July ‘08 after failing three hearing tests.

The waiting time was up to a year then – it is two years now. Lucy is wordless and has failed every hearing test, yet she is waiting nine months for an appointment. She has been attending speech and language therapy in Victoria Hospital where the speech therapist has contacted the audiology service numerous times as she is convinced the reason Lucy can’t speak is that she can’t hear, but to no avail.

I have also rang many times looking for an appointment and information on how many people are on the waiting list but but this information isn’t available.

I have sought these details under the Freedom of Information Act, but they seem shrouded in mystery. I assume the HSE has a computer and the names are listed. After all, it sends out appointments every day, so why is the information not available? In an eight-hour day, at 20 minutes per appointment with breaks, it should be possible to see 20 patients, or 100 in a working week.

Lucy will likely need hearing aids and there is a further waiting list for them.

She could be at least three years old before she will hear. What hope will she have of speaking clearly by the time she goes to school?

Meanwhile she is getting increasingly frustrated as she can’t communicate and all I want for her is a date on which she can be seen. Instead I am told the waiting list is now two years and the appointments are given on a priority basis. If Lucy isn’t a priority, who is?

Carol Lehane

1, The Village

Parkgate

Frankfield

Cork