Integrated care cuts children’s audiology waits to six weeks in Cavan and Monaghan

Integrated hospital and community care has reduced the waiting list from 159 to 17 children and cut the longest wait from 71 weeks to 6 weeks.

Children aged 4–17 years in Cavan and Monaghan are now receiving audiology assessments significantly sooner after an integrated service reduced the number waiting from 159 to 17 in less than one year. The longest wait for assessment has also reduced from 71 weeks to 6 weeks.

This improvement is one of several positive service developments across the Cavan Monaghan Integrated Healthcare Area. It follows the establishment of an integrated model of care between Monaghan Hospital Audiology Service and Cavan Monaghan Community Audiology Services, with hospital and community teams working as one coordinated pathway for children and families.

Hospital and community audiology teams have achieved this improvement by working as one coordinated service for children and families. The integrated pathway brings together shared waiting-list management, clearer referral arrangements, dedicated clinics, improved scheduling and closer communication between clinical and administrative teams.

This approach means children can be assessed sooner when there are concerns about hearing, with those who need further support or referral progressing more quickly to the appropriate next step in their care.

The Cavan Monaghan pathway shows how closer integration between hospital and community services can improve access for children, reduce duplication and make better use of available capacity. It reflects the Sláintecare focus on delivering timely, coordinated care, with patients receiving the right care, in the right place and at the right time.

HSE Head of Service, Cavan Monaghan Integrated Healthcare Area, Caralyn Horne, said:

“This is a very significant improvement for children and families across Cavan and Monaghan. Timely assessment gives parents and carers earlier clarity and enables children who need further care or support to progress without unnecessary delay.

“This progress has been delivered by our hospital and community audiology teams working together as one service, with a shared focus on improving access for children. It is a strong example of the difference that integrated care can make in practical terms for patients and families.”

Previously, rising demand, workforce vacancies and separate referral and waiting-list arrangements across services had contributed to long waits for paediatric audiology assessment.

The integrated model was developed through close collaboration between Monaghan Hospital Audiology, Cavan Monaghan Community Audiology, ENT services, outpatient and administrative teams, and local operational management. The teams reviewed and aligned waiting lists, established dedicated clinics for children aged four and over, and introduced chronological appointment scheduling to support fair and timely access.

HSE Integrated Healthcare Area Manager, Cavan Monaghan Integrated Healthcare Area, Dervila Eyres, said:

“The success of this work is down to the commitment and collaboration of staff across both services. By sharing information, aligning pathways and making the best use of available capacity, we have reduced duplication and improved the flow of children through the service.

“Most importantly, children and families are now getting access to assessment much sooner. We are continuing to build on this progress, including work to extend the integrated model for younger children who need specialist audiometric testing.”

The HSE team in the Cavan Monaghan Integrated Healthcare Area is now progressing the next phase of the pathway, focused on improving access to audiometric testing for children under four years of age. This builds on the established model through shared capacity and coordinated care across hospital and community services.