Community audiology appointments launch at Melksham Hospital

Weekly audiology appointments will be available at Melksham Hospital following campaigning by local MP Brian Mathew.

The appointments are being introduced by the Integrated Care Board (ICB), which manages NHS services at the hospital, providing both diagnostic hearing tests and hearing aid fittings.

Patients referred by their GP will be able to request appointments locally, reducing the need to travel to larger hospitals such as the Royal United Hospital (RUH) in Bath and Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

The community ser-vice will run alongside an audiology clinic already provided at Melksham Hospital, which is currently paused due to building works. The clinic is expected to resume alongside the community service once the works are completed in late spring or summer.

The introduction of community audiology appointments comes after discussions between Brian Mathew, the local ICB and the Friends of Melksham Hospital.

Brian said, “This is a really positive step forward for Melksham. For too long, residents have had to travel significant distances for relatively routine hearing appointments, often facing long waits and difficult journeys. Bringing these services back to Melksham Hospital will make a real difference to people’s day-to-day lives.

“I have heard from many constituents who have struggled to access timely audiology care. Whether it is delays in diagnostic tests or difficulties getting hearing aids adjusted, the current system simply has not been working well enough. These new clinics are a direct response to those concerns.”

While welcoming the development, Brian said that further improvements at the hospital are still needed and the ICB has also confirmed it will carry out a wider review of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) services this year.

Plans include the development of a new community audiology model, which could allow patients to self-refer for NHS hearing tests without needing to see a GP. Waiting times are expected to fall significantly, with most patients potentially seen within four months.

Brian said, “This is not the end of the story. While weekly clinics are a great start, we know demand is high and many patients will still face barriers, including the need for a GP referral. I will continue pushing for more services to be delivered locally and for access to be made as straightforward as possible.”

Below: MP Brian Mathew