All babies born in New Zealand are offered a newborn hearing screening free of charge, irrespective of whether they are born at hospital, rural birthing centre or home. The hearing check is completed between 0 days and 3 months.
Babies born in hospital will be screened before going home in most cases. Alternatively an outpatient appointment will be arranged at clinics held regularly at Ōamaru, Dunedin, Balclutha, Alexandra, Wanaka, Cromwell, Queenstown, Te Anau, Lumsden, Winton, Gore, and Invercargill.
This programme has been designed to identify and then offer intervention for babies with moderate to profound hearing loss.
This is a joint initiative between the Ministries of Health and Education.