Cochlear Australia & New Zealand

Supplying Cochlear Implant Technology for Publicly Funded Hearing Services in New Zealand

Cochlear Australia & New Zealand is the primary technology supplier to the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme (NCIP), providing the implant systems and sound processor technology used in publicly funded cochlear implant surgeries across the upper North Island.

Supplying Cochlear Implants to the Public Health System

Working in close partnership with the Northern Cochlear Implant Trust (NCIT) and clinical providers, Cochlear ensures that New Zealanders receiving publicly funded cochlear implants have access to world-class hearing solutions backed by clinical research, engineering innovation, and global support infrastructure.

Cochlear has worked with health services across Aotearoa New Zealand for more than two decades. As part of the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme, Cochlear supplies the full implantable system — including the internal implant and the external sound processor — used by eligible adults and children who qualify for publicly funded cochlear implant services.

These devices are supplied to surgical teams, programmed by audiologists, and supported long-term through rehabilitation and follow-up care. As a key technology partner, Cochlear plays a foundational role in enabling the outcomes achieved by the NCIP.

Advanced Hearing Technology

Cochlear’s systems are designed to restore hearing for people with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. The technology includes:

Internal implants

Surgically placed under the skin and inside the inner ear

External sound processors

Worn behind the ear or off the ear, which capture and convert sound into electrical signals

Wireless accessories and apps

To support connectivity with phones, devices, and assistive technologies

Custom programming

To suit individual hearing needs, managed by clinical audiologists

These systems are compatible with various rehabilitation strategies and can be upgraded as new technologies become available. 

Cochlear collaborates with hearing health professionals to ensure that device selection, surgical placement, and long-term management meet the highest standards of care in line with national guidelines.

Supporting the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme

Cochlear Australia & New Zealand is not a clinical service provider. However, the company’s role in the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme is essential. Without the implant technology and system integration Cochlear provides, cochlear implant surgeries and follow-up therapy would not be possible.

Northern Cochlear Implant Programme

As the primary supplier contracted through the Northern Cochlear Implant Trust, Cochlear:

Ensures timely supply and delivery of cochlear implant systems

Provides clinical training to New Zealand audiologists and surgeons

Collaborates with clinical teams for troubleshooting, repair, and device management

Engages in global research and shares international data to support quality improvement

Supports device compatibility and system upgrades

This partnership model helps ensure that New Zealand’s publicly funded cochlear implant system operates with consistency, safety, and access to the latest evidence-based solutions.

Located south of Taupō? Check out The Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP)

SCIP

Funding and Device Access in New Zealand

For eligible patients, all cochlear implant devices supplied through the NCIP are funded under the Ministry of Health’s national cochlear implant programme. Patients do not pay directly for the implant device when referred through a recognised provider and approved under the programme criteria.

More information about funding, eligibility, and the referral process is available via:

Northern Cochlear Implant Trust

The Hearing House

Cochlear New Zealand – Funding Information

Cochlear works closely with these stakeholders to support seamless access to technology for both new recipients and those requiring replacement or upgraded sound processors.

Global Innovation, Local Support

Headquartered in Sydney, Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, with over 700,000 devices implanted worldwide. In New Zealand, the company supports clinical partners and patients through local teams and dedicated service channels. 

Cochlear continues to invest in research, product development, and support services to ensure that people receiving a cochlear implant today benefit from the latest advances in hearing science.

Visit Cochlear

A couple walking wearing Cochlear Implants

Get in Touch

If you are seeking cochlear implant services or information about eligibility, referrals, or the cochlear implant programme, we welcome enquiries from individuals, families, and health professionals.