The appointment of a senior audiological scientist to the HSE’s Galway community services comes at an “exciting” time, the health authority said this week.
Dr Donald MacAskill joins the Galway audiology team from the National Health Service in the UK and brings a wealth of experience in developing, leading and managing award-winning teams of audiology professionals in Scotland.
His experience covers all aspects of the audiology service, including the development of newborn hearing screening programmes, implantable hearing aids and adult and paediatric hearing rehabilitation.
Following the issuing of the Scottish audiology modernisation report Dr MacAskill’s department in Forth Valley was recognised as having highest quality peer-reviewed scores for both adults and paediatrics in 2008 and 2010/11. The department also won the British Academy of Audiology Team of the Year award on two occasions.
Dr MacAskill will lead the existing team of two audiologists and two clerical support staff based at Ely Place, Sea Road.
Announcing the new appointment, Catherine Cunningham, the area manager of the HSE West’s Galway/Roscommon Primary, Community and Continuing Care Services, wished him success in his new role.
“Donald joins the team at an exciting time following the publishing of the HSE National Audiology Review Report in 2011.
“The recommendations contained in the report present considerable opportunities and challenges for all stakeholders in improving the public hearing service in Ireland.”
