Ear, nose and throat

The ENT Department provides specialist treatment for problems with your ears, nose or throat. This may also include your head and neck, and may include headaches or neck lumps.

Both Sandwell and City hospitals provide a highly efficient service with state-of-the-art facilities to treat common problems including:

• Hearing issues caused by ear wax or infections
• Tinnitus (a persistent ringing in the ears)
• Deafness
• Earache
• Dizziness, vertigo and balance problems
• Nose and sinus problems

We investigate and treat 90% of patients referred to the department within 18 weeks. After an initial assessment, your consultant may ask you to have further tests such as a specialised hearing test, an MRI scan or a CT scan.

We also provide a newborn baby hearing screening programme, a fast-track service for anyone with suspected cancer symptoms, an urgent access clinic with 24-hour cover for the A&E Department, and a host of other services.

For more information about disabled access for this service, please click here.

Team

We are a small, friendly and dedicated team made up of five ENT consultant surgeons, supported by an associate specialist, two registrars and a nurse practitioner, along with ward and outpatient nursing staff.

Consultants:
Mr Batch
Mr Oluwole
Mr Kale

Associate Specialist:
Mr Takwoingi

Nurses:
Sue Frost, ENT Macmillan Head & Neck Nurse
Jim Doherty, Charge Nurse/Macmillan Nurse support
Martin Whitehouse, ENT Nurse Practitioner
Connie Davi, Head & Neck Oncology Nurse
Christine Billingham, ENT Specialist Nurse
Marion Mitchell, Outpatient Department Sister, City Hospital
Loraine Craig, ENT Outpatient Department Sister, Sandwell Hospital

Services

Head and Neck Service
This service investigates all lumps, tumours or other conditions of the head and neck, whether they are malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous).

General Adult Service – Ears
We diagnose and treat all conditions affecting the ears. This ranges from minor hearing loss due to ear wax or ear infections, right through to serious infections or severe deafness. The service treats symptoms such as earache, dizziness and vertigo, and we can also offer advice and treatment for prominent (sticking out) ears.

General Adult Service – Nose
This service treats all problems affecting the nose. These include snoring, breathing problems, or difficulties with the sinuses.

General Adult Service – Throat
This service focuses on any infection of the throat, tonsils or lower jaw, including painful swellings or tumours.

General Otology Service
Adults and children are treated for a wide variety of ear and facial complaints including fungal infections, glue ear and other inner ear problems. We also treat balance problems, facial nerve weakness or facial palsy (paralysis affecting the face).

Urgent Access Clinic
This clinic is for urgent ear, nose and throat (ENT) complaints such as nose bleeds, obstructions, sudden hearing loss or swellings that cause breathing and nosebleed problems.

Dedicated Specialist Services
We operate several specialist services for conditions affecting the ear, nose and throat. These include:

• Balance and dizziness service
• ENT paediatric service (specialist services for children)
• Nasal disorders service
• Snoring service
• Thyroid and parathyroid service (these are glands in the throat)
• Voice disorders service

Nurse-Led Services
Our specialist nurses run several services, including:

• Ear wax removal by water irrigation or microsuction
• Lower jaw cavity clearance
• Treatment for ear infections
• Nasal allergy skin testing

Clinics

• General ENT: Wednesday afternoons, Friday mornings
• Head & neck surgery: Tuesday mornings and afternoons
• Nasal disorders: Monday and Wednesday afternoons, Thursday and Friday mornings
• Otology and balance disorders: Wednesday mornings and afternoons, Friday mornings
• Paediatric ENT: Monday afternoons
• Snoring and sinus disorders: Monday afternoons, Thursday mornings
• Thyroid & salivary gland disease – Tuesday mornings and afternoons
• Voice problems & reflux: Tuesday mornings
• Urgent access clinic: daily

Patient Stories

Please feel free to share your experiences of this service. Please e-mail your views to swbh.comms@nhs.net

Patient Information

Intravenous Sedation ML7023

Head and Neck Cancer Specialist Nursing Service ML7000

Contacts

Consultant: Mr Batch
Speciality: Voice Problems & Reflux, Head & Neck Surgery.
Clinics: Tuesday am, pm
Operation Day: Fri. am/pm
City – 0121 507 5110
Sandwell – 0121 507 3206

Consultant: Mr. Oluwole
Speciality: Nasal Disorders & Snoring, Sinus Disorders
Clinics: Monday pm, Thursday am
Operation day: Wed. pm, Thurs am/pm
City – 0121 507 5702
Sandwell – 0121 507 3213

Consultant: Mr. Kale
Speciality: Otology & Balance Disorders, Nasal Disorders, General ENT
Clinics: Wednesday pm Friday am
Operation day: Tues. am/pm alt. Wed. am
City – 0121 507 5137
Sandwell – 0121 507 3213

Associate Specialist: Mr. Takwoingi
Speciality: Otology & Balance Disorders, Nasal Disorders, General ENT
Clinics: Friday am
Operation day: Wed. am/pm, Thurs. am
Tel: 0121 507 4559

Nurses:

Sue Frost, ENT Macmillan Head & Neck Nurse

Jim Doherty, Charge Nurse/Macmillan Nurse support

Martin Whitehouse, ENT Nurse Practitioner

Connie Davi, Head & Neck Oncology Nurse

Christine Billingham, ENT Specialist Nurse

Marion Mitchell, Outpatient Department Sister, City Hospital

Loraine Craig, ENT Outpatient Department Sister, Sandwell Hospital