National implications for audiology services flagged in review into 'heartbreaking' SA cochlear implant bungle

The families of more than 200 children caught up in Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital cochlear implant bungle will be offered compensation after a review found long-standing systemic problems with the program dating back over nearly two decades. Key points: A review into the Women's and Children's Hospital cochlear implant program has identified systemic problems spanning back 17 years Up to 208 children have received care through the program since 2006 The government is offering compensation to families Earlier this year, the state government launched an independent external review into the hospital to investigate how it wrongly programmed the cochlear implants of 30 children, causing what are expected to be lifelong developmental problems. Compensation for families The state government said it will offer the families of children who were "under-mapped" at the WCH an initial payment of $50,000, which does not replace a family's full compensation rights. A phone line has been set up for families affected by the cochlear implant bungle - 8155 5635 After hearing the results of the internal review, Mrs Selby said she booked her son in for an audiology assessment at a different provider in March for peace of mind, where it was discovered there were problems with Henry's mapping similar to the other children who had been affected.