SCRA’s Hearing Room Improvement Programme – next phase

We are excited to announce that the next phase of our Hearing room improvement programme is now underway.

Originally launched in 2015 with the first pilot Hearing room in Glasgow, the programme has resulted in more than 40 Hearing rooms being revamped.

To take us through the next stage of the programme, a new programme team has been set up led by Senior Operational Manager Helen Etchells and supported by an external design company who were appointed after a procurement exercise at the end of 2023.

Helen explained: “We have made significant progress in making many of our Hearing centres more accessible and welcoming for children, young people and their families. We know there is still work to be done – that’s why we are really pleased to get started on the next phase of our journey.

“We want our Hearing centres to be designed to encourage people to feel less anxious, more relaxed and better able to participate, whilst reflecting the serious nature of a Children’s Hearing.”

This next phase will look at the whole Hearing centre, rather than just Hearing rooms. The project will also look at improving the technology in our Hearing centres.

To ensure as many voices as possible are heard, a number of stakeholder engagement sessions are taking place in March, including a session with Hearings-experienced young people. We are also engaging with neurodiversity, speech and language experts, as well as professionals from across the Hearings System. If you would like to get involved or provide your views, please get in touch.

Following the engagement sessions, the designers will submit proposals to SCRA with the aim of developing a proof of concept site in Glasgow by spring of next year. This test site will be fully evaluated, incorporating feedback from children and young people accessing the Hearing centre before any staged national roll out.