New £90,000 healthcare van launched to reach rural communities

The first ever Welsh audiology vehicle which cost almost £90,000 has been launched with plans to improve NHS outreach and services across rural areas.

Audiology teams across Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board have come together to create the van which they hope will serve communities across North Wales for years to come.

Hearing, tinnitus and balance difficulties can affect around 1 in 6 people in North Wales, if these symptoms go unmanaged they have a significant impact on quality of life.

The high-spec van hits the road this month and has been fitted with all the specialist equipment an audiologist needs to carry out accurate and important tests.

Chris Easton, Director of Strategy and Impact at NHS Charities Together, said: “We know that there are still huge inequalities in access to healthcare, but everyone should be able to access quality NHS treatment, no matter where they live.”

The almost £90,000 project has been created to best meet the needs of people living with hearing related conditions. Quiet hearing test conditions can be difficult when out in the community, so the van has been kitted out with a soundproof room.

The van was funded by Awyr Las: The North Wales NHS Charity and NHS Charities Together, and has set off on its work this month.

John Day, Clinical Director of Audiology, said: “The Audiology Teams have worked together for the past two years to bring this fantastic project to light. The new Community Audiology Vehicle has only been made possible thanks to the hard work from the Audiology Teams, Awyr Las and NHS Charities Together.”

This new service will operate across North Wales complementing the existing network of fixed sites across the region.