Ear Health
The Ear Health Coordinators are part of the National Ear Coordinator Program (ECP) and have been funded at AMSANT since early 2020.
Through working closely and collaboratively with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), NT Government and other key stakeholders the ECP aims to improve ear and hearing health outcome for Aboriginal & Aboriginal people. Since coming on board, our ear coordinators have worked on a number of key activities – see below to view our first Ear Health Communique for further details.
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Our ear health coordinators also have a role in ensuring ACCHS are kept up to-date with relevant information and resources, including education and training; health promotion; upcoming events; funding; and other opportunities as they arise. We also encourage input and feedback from ACCHS on how our Program can best support primary health care (PHC).
Ear Health Coordinator
Catharine Kent
Catharine has lived in the NT for over 20 years, working primarily in Aboriginal health as a registered nurse in both urban and remote settings.
Ear and Hearing Services in the NT
Ear Resources
PLUM & HATS are simple checklists. They help health and early childhood workers ask families the right questions to find out how bub’s listening and yarning skills are growing.
Sound Scouts is an online hearing test app that delivers an immediate report, including next steps if a hearing loss is detected.
Rural Health Pro has curated a series of videos under the Ear Health Coordination program to enhance the monitoring and treatment of ear and hearing health in primary care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youth. Click here to check out the videos.
Ear Health Communique - previous editions
FREE Ear & Hearing Equipment
SONIC Innovations is the provider of the Commonwealth funded Ear and Hearing Assessment Equipment Program. This program provides free equipment required in the assessment and screening of ears and hearing to Aboriginal Controlled Health Services and services who have a primarily Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Click here for a power point of the Webinar held in August 2021.
FREE Online Training
Funded by the Commonwealth and developed by TAFENSW, the Ear Train is an online training program for PHC professionals to identify and manage otitis media and other hearing conditions in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. AMSANT’s EHCs have been involved in a Working Group to ensure the online course is relevant to the NT context. The resource is a useful online, self-paced learning tool for health professionals. Click here to go to the TAFENSW webpage.
Videos
Useful Information
World Hearing Day 2023
The theme for 2023 is Ear and hearing care for all. Let’s make it a reality: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hearing-day/2023 .
This 2023 theme looks to highlight the importance of integrating ear and hearing care within primary care, as an essential component of universal health coverage.
From a global perspective, key messages include:
- Ear and hearing problems are among the most common problems encountered in the community.
- Over 60% of these can be identified and addressed at the primary level of care.
- Integration of ear and hearing care into primary care services is possible through training and capacity building at this level.
- Such integration will benefit people and help countries move towards the goal of universal health coverage.
We will hold an Ear Health for PHC education session on Thursday 16th March for members (at the usual time of 2:30pm) and will also give a small talk at one of our staff meetings in March around the long-term impacts of hearing loss and consideration by other program areas such as SEWB and WALS.
