FOI 26-298 Cochlear Implant Incidents
Freedom of Information Request
- Reference
- FOI 26-298 Cochlear Implant Incidents
- Request Date
- 07 Jul 2026
- Response Date
- 22 Jul 2026
- Information Requested
If a patient wears a Cochlear Implant and was involved in an accident that caused it to come undone and Fly off, the patient would be totally deaf. What techniques, technology and training do Paramedics get to cope with this situation.
- Response
The Scottish Ambulance Service does not provide training or equipment specifically relating to situations where a patient's cochlear implant becomes detached or lost following an accident.
However, staff receive guidance and training on managing patients who may experience communication difficulties, including those who are deaf or have hearing impairments. This includes the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) guideline Patients with Communication Difficulties, which provides generic guidance for situations where communication barriers exist. The guideline is intended to support clinicians in communicating with patients who may have hearing, speech, cognitive or other communication difficulties.
Clinical staff are expected to undertake a person-centred approach, assess each patient's individual needs and use appropriate communication techniques to facilitate assessment, treatment and decision-making. Depending on the circumstances, this may include written communication, visual cues, gestures, lip-reading, utilising family members or carers where appropriate, and accessing interpretation or communication support services where available.
In addition, deaf awareness training resources are available to staff, which provide guidance on communicating effectively with people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
