How to read the guidelines

The recommendations are designed to provide practitioners who have the appropriate qualifications, experience, knowledge, and skills with an evidence-based framework through which they can support adults with SNHL. The guidelines are set out as recommendations and good practice statement. The recommendations outline best practice in the management of adults on the pathway to cochlear implantation. Best practice is defined using evidence where available, and otherwise where evidence is insufficient, the expert Task Force comes to consensus on a recommendation. Good practice statements are provided for each recommendation and help conceptualise each recommendation putting them into clinical context and providing examples were appropriate. It is hoped that this best-practice guidance will improve awareness and consistency of the delivery of hearing health services.

Supporting evidence collected through the research and community consultations activities is presented for each recommendation, and a Technical Report provides references that informed and supported the guidelines development process. Each recommendation included in this document is preceded by a PROSPERO7 question.