Stockport paediatric audiology claims

If your child was referred for hearing assessments at Stepping Hill Hospital. You don’t have to navigate this on your own. Our specialist medical negligence team is here to help.

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Reviewed by

Francesca Paul

Partner, Group Action Lead

Additional content

Christian Beadell

Partner and Head of Clinical Negligence

Last Updated

17th July 2026

Can I make a Stockport Paediatric Audiology claim?

You may be able to make a claim if your child had paediatric hearing assessments at Stepping Hill Hospital that were carried out or interpreted incorrectly. An internal review by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in November 2024 identified serious concerns about the accuracy and quality of paediatric assessments - concerns that may have led to missed or delayed diagnoses of permanent hearing loss in young children.

If you’ve received a recall invitation or a Duty of Candour letter from the Trust, it’s possible your child might be affected. If this is the case, you may have noticed unexplained hearing difficulties, delayed speech or communication challenges in your child, or they maybe have needed re-testing after their original assessments at Stepping Hill Hospital. Cases identified so far involve children born between March 2019 and August 2019, though the Trust has indicated the timeframe may be wider.

The failings identified by the Trust cover a number of potentially negligent actions; including the use of incorrect technique during hearing assessments, misinterpretation of test results, failure to carry out or accurately report Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) tests, lack of required ABR peer review by a second audiologist, inadequate record keeping, and failure to follow national clinical guidance. Any one of these failings could have contributed to a child’s hearing loss going undetected or unmanaged – delaying the early intervention that can make a significant difference to a child’s development.

If you’re unsure whether your child falls into this group, it’s still worth speaking to us. We’ll listen carefully, review any letters or records you have, and give you an honest assessment of whether you may have a case. You don’t need to have all the answers before you contact us.

Example of a Stockport Paediatric Audiology case

Imagine a child referred for further hearing tests after their newborn hearing screen, whose subsequent assessments at Stepping Hill Hospital failed to use the correct technique and did not include the required ABR. As a result, a permanent hearing loss was not identified at the time it should have been, delaying speech therapy, educational support, and other early intervention that could have helped the child. If those failings can be shown to have caused or worsened the impact on the child’s development, this could form the basis of a valid clinical negligence claim.

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What compensation can help with

Close-up of a newborn baby's ear and part of the head

Supporting your child's development, care, and long-term needs.

If your child has suffered a delayed diagnosis of hearing loss, it can have a significant impact on their development. Their earlier years are critical for speech and language development, educational progress and social confidence. When their hearing is impaired for long periods, these developmental markers can be affected. Compensation can help fund the specialist care and therapies that give your child the best possible chance of catching up.

A successful Stockport paediatric audiology claim may help fund:

Specialist hearing aids, cochlear implants, or other assistive technology
Speech and language therapy, including intensive programmes
Additional educational support and specialist schooling where needed
Psychological support and counselling for the child and family
Costs of reassessment, re-testing, and ongoing audiological care
Loss of developmental opportunity and the impact on communication milestones
Emotional distress caused to the child and wider family

Understanding the potential value

Cases involving significant developmental delay or long-term support needs can result in substantial settlements. Our team will work with leading medical experts to build a full picture of how the failings affected your child, so that the compensation sought truly reflects their needs. The value of a claim will depend on the specific impact on your child – including the severity and type of hearing loss, the length of the delay in diagnosis, the effect on their speech and language development, their educational needs, and the cost of ongoing care and support. This is an ongoing group action, so more details on case outcomes will be released as they are available.

Understanding interim payments

In some cases, it may be possible to secure interim payments before your case settles. Interim payments can help fund early access to specialist therapies, educational support, or assistive technology without having to wait for the claim to conclude – which can go some way to improving your child’s long-term development and wellbeing. We’ll always look at whether interim payments are appropriate in your child’s case and pursue them where we can.

Specialist paediatric audiology solicitors

Our group actions team has deep experience in NHS clinical negligence cases.

Why choose Fletchers for your Stockport Paediatric Audiology claim?

Our Clinical Negligence group actions team is already representing a number of families affected by Stepping Hill Hospital audiology concerns. Group action cases notifications require a particular kind of expertise - one that combines clinical knowledge, experience of large-scale NHS investigations, and a deep understanding of how to support families through an already distressing process. We know this area, we know this case, and we’re ready to help you.

Expertise you can rely on

Specialist group actions team
Already representing families affected by the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust paediatric audiology concerns
Working with leading medical experts in paediatric audiology to assess the impact on individual children
Free initial assessment – we’ll review your recall letter, Duty of Candour notification, and medical information at no cost
Experienced in securing early access to specialist therapy, care, and support for children with delayed diagnoses
Rated excellent on Trustpilot by the clients we’ve supported
No win, no fee – if your case is accepted, you won’t pay anything upfront

You're not alone

We understand the challenges you're facing.

We know that receiving a recall letter or Duty of Candour notification from an NHS Trust about your child’s hearing assessments can feel unsettling. You may be concerned that your child has been affected, and what it means for their development. These are completely understandable reactions, and you do not have to work through this alone.

For many families, the hardest part is the uncertainty. We’re here to help you get answers.

We’ve supported many families in exactly this position. Many were already concerned about their child’s development – with signs of delayed speech, communication difficulties, and unexplained hearing issues. If this sounds familiar, our specialist team can support you through the next steps in the same way.

From your first conversation with us, we’ll take the time to understand your child’s experience, explain your options clearly, and give you an honest view of what the legal process might look like. We’ll handle every part of the process, with care and respect for your family.

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FAQs about Stockport Paediatric Audiology claims

What should I do if I have received a letter from Stockport NHS Foundation Trust?

If you’ve received a Duty of Candour letter or a recall invitation from the Trust, there are a few practical steps worth taking straight away. Keep a copy of the letter and any other correspondence from the Trust. Make a note of any past concerns you’ve had about your child’s hearing, speech, or development – including any tests, referrals, or appointments. Then contact us. We’ll review your letter and circumstances at no cost and explain clearly what the letter means and what your options are.

Does my child have to have been diagnosed with hearing loss to make a claim?

Not necessarily. The key question is whether the audiology assessments your child received at Stepping Hill Hospital were carried out or interpreted incorrectly, and whether that caused or contributed to a delay in identifying or managing a hearing condition. If your child has since been found to have hearing loss that was not picked up at the time, or if re-testing has shown different results from the original assessments, this may be relevant to a potential claim. We can help you work through the specifics of your child’s situation.

What time limits apply to making a claim?

Clinical negligence claims involving children are subject to specific time limit rules. In cases where a child has been affected, the standard three-year limitation period does not begin until the child turns 18. This means there is usually time to act, but it’s always better to start the process as early as possible while evidence and records are easier to obtain. If you’re unsure about time limits in your specific situation, please speak to us and we’ll advise you directly.

What evidence will I need?

You do not need to have gathered everything before you contact us. Useful documents to have include any recall or Duty of Candour letters from the Trust, records of your child’s hearing assessments or referrals, and any notes about concerns you raised or symptoms your child experienced. We’ll help you obtain your child’s full medical records and work with specialist experts to build the evidence needed to support a claim. You do not have to do this on your own.

How long will a claim take?

Group action cases involving NHS Trusts can take time, particularly where the scope of the failings is still being investigated. The timeline will depend on the complexity of your child’s case, the extent of the harm caused, and how the Trust responds. We’ll keep you updated throughout and aim to make the process as clear and manageable as possible. Where interim payments are available to fund early support for your child, we’ll pursue those without waiting for the case to conclude.

Is there a cost to getting advice?

Our initial assessment is free. If we take on your case, we work on a No Win, No Fee basis – which means you won’t pay anything upfront, and you’ll only pay if your claim is successful. We’ll explain the funding arrangements clearly before any decisions are made, so there are no surprises.

What has happened at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust?

We understand that an internal review carried out in November 2024, identified concerns about the accuracy and quality of paediatric audiology assessments at Stepping Hill Hospital. These concerns relate specifically to hearing assessments carried out after babies were referred from the newborn hearing screen.

Families have since received Duty of Candour letters and recall notifications, with the Trust confirming that earlier assessments may not have been performed or interpreted correctly.

The issues highlighted include:

Incorrect technique used during paediatric hearing assessments
Misinterpretation of test results, potentially leading to missed or delayed diagnoses
Failure to carry out or accurately report Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) tests
Lack of required ABR peer review by a second audiologist
Inadequate record keeping
Failure to follow national clinical guidance

These failings may have resulted in undiagnosed or unmanaged permanent hearing loss, delaying crucial early intervention for affected children.

Fletchers is already representing a number of families whose children may have been impacted.

Who might be affected?

The Trust’s concerns relate to paediatric audiology assessments over a period that’s still being defined, though cases so far involve children born between March 2019 and August 2019, with the possibility of a wider timeframe.

You may be affected if:

Your child underwent hearing assessments at Stepping Hill Hospital after a newborn hearing screen referral
You have received a Duty of Candour letter or a recall invitation
Your child has experienced unexplained hearing issues, delayed speech, communication difficulties, or required re-testing
You suspect your child’s hearing may have been misdiagnosed or overlooked

If you’re unsure whether your child falls into this group, our team can help you determine this.