Living guidelines for adult cochlear implants to shape future service delivery in New Zealand

The Australia and New Zealand Hearing Health Collaborative (ANZ HHC) has this week launched the first ANZ guidelines for adult cochlear implantation, a landmark initiative designed to improve access and consistency in quality of services and impact outcomes in hearing healthcare for adults across Australia and New Zealand.

The work is the culmination of engagement from cochlear implant (CI) professionals from Australia and New Zealand and CI recipients who offered lived experience in the co-design of the guidelines.

The Hearing House’s clinical director, Associate Professor Holly Teagle, has been a member of the ANZ HHC taskforce for the past two years, and The Hearing House is one of the partner organisations. Holly says the guidelines are set to significantly improve the standard of hearing care for adults across Aotearoa New Zealand.

“With the considerations of our local resources and services, these patient-centred guidelines for hearing care and cochlear implants for adults will help shape the future service delivery in New Zealand, set a minimum standard of care and ensure equitable access to hearing care.”

Across six workshops, the group adapted global evidence for CI referral, CI evaluation, CI candidacy and CI outcome evaluation for adults to the Australia and New Zealand context and created the first CI Guidelines for Adults for Australia and New Zealand.

Many adults in Aotearoa experience significant hearing difficulties that affect how they access sound and communication. Assistive technologies such as hearing aids and cochlear implants can improve communication for these people, but currently, only a small percentage of people are accessing these technologies and specialised support.

“These guidelines will help build greater awareness of cochlear implants as an option for adults in Aotearoa, and support more consistent, equitable care across the country,” says Dr Claire Green, CEO of The Hearing House.

“At The Hearing House, we see every day the difference that access to the right support and technology can make in people’s lives — it’s about enabling participation, connection, and choice.”

The new Cochlear Implant Living Guidelines comprise nine recommendations, from hearing screening to patient outcomes. The guidance and guidelines, drawn from over 13,000 peer-reviewed studies, will be updated as new evidence emerges.

The regional guidelines follow the development of the 2023 Global Living Guidelines, of which Holly Teagle was also an original contributing member.

For more information about the work of the CI taskforce and the development of the Living Guidelines, see the Adult Hearing website.