Two of Victoria’s largest regional independent audiology providers have joined forces.
Those behind the merger explain how they will deliver even more for regional communities.
Hot on the heels of amalgamating its five permanent sites with Ballarat Hearing clinic’s two, the new and improved Country Hearing Care (CHC) is already finding new ways to support the hearing needs of more patients in country Victoria and beyond.
The major regional audiology service has also opened a new premises in Bendigo that serves as its headquarters, overseeing eight permanent clinics, 13 visiting clinics and its work in aged care facilities.
CHC is an Australian independent audiology success story which continues to gather momentum through its broad service and unique flavour of audiology.
Another win announced in November 2024 is a contract to provide audiology services to Bendigo Health, enabling CHC audiologists to perform public audiology services at the hospital.
CHC’s managing director Mr Malcolm Comfort says that apart from providing private audiology services in its clinics, the business is thrilled to provide public audiology in hospitals in Ballarat, Bendigo and Mildura. Ironically this is where its Mildura and Ballarat businesses began decades ago – in a small room at their local hospital.
At Bendigo Health, the team works in the audiology suite, providing paediatric and adult services and care. “This is a big part of what we do – deliver our proud brand of best-practice audiology,” Comfort says.
Comfort has worked for the organisation for almost 10 years and says both of the founding businesses have proud and diverse histories of serving their communities for decades.
“CHC was originally Sunraysia Hearing Clinic formed in Mildura 22 years ago by audiologist Jane MacDonald,” he explains. “It started with paediatric care then adult care in a room in Mildura Base Hospital.
“Her husband Don retrained as an audiometrist and joined the business which quickly outgrew the room to a private practice nearby.”
Further expansion followed to permanent locations in Swan Hill, Broken Hill, Echuca and Eaglehawk in Bendigo, all with satellite and aged care sites for visiting practitioners.
About 18 months ago talks began with audiologist and director of Ballarat Hearing Clinic, Mr Campbell Stevens, about a merger possibility. Stevens had joined the clinic in the early 2000s and bought it in 2007 from now retired audiologist Mr Richard Roper.
Roper established the business in the 1980s in the hospital. “He was one of the original independent audiologists,” Comfort says. “Jane and Don looked to Richard as an unofficial mentor, so it’s come full circle. Richard encouraged the MacDonalds to build their business and provide care to regional communities.”
Cochlear implant program
Stevens says Ballarat has a rich history in hearing care, particularly newborn screenings. Ballarat Hearing clinic was instrumental in establishing the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP), and the Victorian Cochlear Implant Program (VCIP).
“Ballarat Hearing Clinic pushed for many years to get pre and post implant audiology care into regional areas to negate the need for people to travel to Melbourne,” he adds. “It was the test case for the VCIP and a fantastic catalyst for change.
“VCIP deals with everything for cochlear implants in regional locations bar surgery, with switch on, mapping and ongoing care all performed locally.”
While a handful of other clinics do this, Ballarat was the first and CHC now provides the program at several locations, including Bendigo and Mildura. Cerumen removal and tinnitus management are also offered at CHC and a collaboration with vestibular physiotherapists will offer balance services.
Comfort is a co-director of CHC along with Stevens, director of audiology, and Don MacDonald, chair. While the amalgamation was in July 2024, there was much preparatory work including merging two business structures, two HSP contracts, multiple software and retraining about 50 staff.
“It’s not to be underestimated the work involved in a merger of that size but the goal was to increase our ability to provide these services that we’re very proud of to a wider market and build the foundations for further growth,” Comfort explains.
“Apart from geographical growth, our goal is to set the standard for innovative and trusted hearing care countrywide in regional communities throughout Australia. We also want to shine a light on the fact that independent hearing care is alive and well with new businesses popping up everywhere which is fantastic.”
Bendigo is now HQ
Strategically, CHC has made Bendigo its new headquarters with key management and administrative staff based there because of its central Victorian location. Comfort and MacDonald found the venue – a 100-year-old former bus station 500 metres from the hospital – when scrolling realestate.com.au
“We bought it in 2021 aiming to convert it into a multi-clinician clinic,” MacDonald recalls. “It was a 450-square metre heritage-listed red brick building with a mechanics pit inside. It took three years to bring it to fruition.”
The team used local builders, architects, planners, trades and an interior designer who attended the launch night with local GPs, health professionals and the mayor.
The clinic has six consulting rooms including a paediatric suite, five administration offices and a board room. “It’s come up beautifully. It took a year for the fit-out as there were delays with planning, council and the water authority due to needing new drainage,” MacDonald adds.
Bendigo has one full-time and one visiting ENT surgeon as a long-standing surgeon recently retired, leaving a service gap. “We’d like to see if there’s solutions we can offer and would love to have surgeons consult at our consulting rooms,” he says.
Comfort adds: “Our goal is to minimise or negate the need for our clients to travel to metropolitan areas for any element of hearing health care. We collaborate with ENTs so if we can provide a solution in-house we will, but we also have strong referral pathways.”
The build included double thickness insulated walls for soundproofing, acoustic buffers, acoustic tiles on walls to reduce reverberation, and an extra layer on the ceiling in the paediatric suite to soundproof it.
The design kept many original features including a double high ceiling, original beams and exposed rafters in reception. While consulting rooms have lower ceilings for acoustics, they kept the exposed original Bendigo Bricks below windows, creating an industrial sheik style.
“The building was the same shape, footprint and area as the Mildura clinic,” Comfort adds.
Staff are mainly audiologists and administrative staff but there’s also audiometry nurse Mrs Karina Sharpe and, given her impact, CHC’s recruiting to replicate the role in Ballarat.
“Karina’s our audiology support nurse and wears many hats which takes pressure off the audiology calendar including wax removal, hearing aid repairs and industrial screening tests,” Comfort explains.
“She attends field days, does industrial testing and has landed us contracts with mines. Karina is one in a million and advocates passionately for hearing protection. We didn’t actually plan this as she started part-time but it just organically happened.”
The business also takes part in career information nights with other regional clinics to showcase benefits of regional Victoria.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to live and work regionally,” Comfort says. “Clinics are multi-disciplinary, there’s professional and leadership opportunities, and CPD.
“In the past 12 months we’ve seen more interest in regional positions. Recruiting can be hard but retention’s good.”
When mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf attended the opening of CHC’s headquarters in October 2024, she said it was wonderful to see an old Bendigo building repurposed and keep its heritage yet have a new lease of life. It’s poignant that it’s served the community for so long as a bus station and is doing so again in a different way.
