A DEAF teenager from Worcester has called on the Government to improve children’s audiology services in the country which she says are not up to standard.
Kathryn Wilkins, who is profoundly deaf, attended the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham on Monday (September 29) to speak directly to MPs about the problems she had faced growing up.
The 18-year-old came along with other members of the National Deaf Children’s Society to launch Listen Up! – a new report which outlines the condition of England’s chidlren’s audiology services.
The report claims deaf youngsters are experiencing long waiting times for appointments, being misdiagnosed and missing vital lesson time to visit the audiologist.
Together with its Young People’s Advisory Board, of which Kathryn is a member, the charity is calling on the Government to take immediate action to improve audiology services and commit to ensuring services are working to a quality assurance programme.
Kathryn said: “It has been brilliant to come along today and meet MPs.
“Good audiology services are so important for deaf children and young people, but the National Deaf Children’s Society’s Listen Up! report shows that they are not up to standard.
“At my old school, I had to miss lessons to go to the audiologist. It was frustrating because I had to catch up on all the work that I missed. MPs have the power to change this.”
