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Hearing impairment

I'm worried about my hearing

If you are having problems with your hearing, you should visit your doctor.

What happens next?

  • Your doctor will look in both ears
  • Your doctor may find that it is a problem that can be corrected at the surgery
  • They may refer you to the Audiology Department at the hospital
  • At the hospital you will have a hearing test
  • They might suggest that you try using one or two hearing aids
  • The hearing aids will be made personal to meet your need

The NHS may provide this hearing aid for you, however you may choose to go to a private company and buy hearing aids yourself.

If you do this, make sure you choose a company that you trust. One that will continue to offer you support after you have bought your hearing aids.

Registration

We keep a record of people who live in the city who have a hearing loss registered.

There are three levels of registration, either as:

  • Deaf
  • Deaf with speech
  • Hard of hearing

When you provide your audiogram to us we will ask you if you would like to register and arrange an assessment of your needs.

Registration as deaf

If you are registered as deaf, you may be able to claim certain benefits. For example, if you are registered with profound hearing loss you may be entitled to a:

  • Freedom Pass
  • Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
  • Attendance Allowance (if over 65)

Who can provide help?

There are national and local groups that provide support for people with hearing impairments.

You can find many more groups that can help with your hearing requirements in our directory.

What help can I get from the Sensory Team?

  • We provide advice and information on deafness
  • We can also carry out an assessment of the impact of your hearing impairment on day to day activities and your wider health and social care needs
  • Our assessment could result in you getting a personal budget to buy the support that you need
  • We are able to make contact with you via text messaging

What help is available?

We can provide:

  • A practical support like technical equipment
  • Advice which could help you to live independently
  • Trial of equipment such as phones