Our services

Each person experiences hearing impairment differently- our audiologists are eager to work with you by listening to your experience and any difficulties that you may have- for which we hope to find a solution. We also work closely with Ear Nose and Throat and your GP to provide the best outcome possible for you.

We provide the following services:

• Hearing assessment after a referral from your GP or Ear Nose and Throat
• Hearing aids if you are identified as having a hearing impairment. We currently fit Oticon and Phonak hearing aids.
• We also provide specialist hearing aid services such as CROS and bone anchored hearing aid clinics. Find out more about bone anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) 
• Quality aftercare once your hearing aids are fitted.
• Hearing therapy and tinnitus clinic.
• Advice on additional Bluetooth devices for use with your hearing aids for your landline, mobile phone and television.
• Cochlear implant referrals to Manchester and Birmingham centres.

Telephone and Video consultations

Prior to your hearing assessment, a telephone or video consultation take place in order to ask you questions about your hearing and any tinnitus that you may experience. Tinnitus clinics with our hearing and tinnitus therapist are also taking place using video consultations.

You will receive a letter in the post, a phone call or a text message informing you of the time of your appointment for a telephone or video consultation. If your appointment is taking place via video, you will receive a link and instructions on how to log on to the service. You may also someone with you during this appointment if you wish due to covid restrictions

Your audiologist will be able to advise you if you could benefit from a hearing aid. If you decide that a hearing aid would be helpful for you then it will be programmed to suit your hearing loss and your needs.

You will be notified whether your appointment will be face to face or virtual. If you are unsure whether your appointment is virtual or face to face, or if you have received a notification via text message which you would like to clarify, contact us at:

Telephone: 01782 674727
Text: 07768033637
Minicom: 01782 679445
Email: audiologydepartment.uhns@nhs.net

Using a wide range of testing, our audiologists aim to identify and manage hearing impairment in children from birth to 18 years old. We use the latest technology to manage hearing impairment and we work together with parents and other departments such as education, speech and language, health visitors and GP’s, to provide the best care possible for children to help them reach their full potential.

The services provided by the paediatric department are:

• The new born hearing screening which is offered to all babies soon after birth.
• Diagnostic testing performed after a referral from the new born hearing screen.
• Hearing assessments for children aged up to 18 years following a referral from a health professional.
• Hearing aids and aftercare for children who are identified as having a hearing impairment. We work alongside education to provide regular, quality care for children.
• Transition for children reaching adulthood who will soon reach the age where they will be seen in our adult audiology department. The transition clinic is able to provide advice such as how to get help when attending college and university and eligibility for benefits as the patient goes into adulthood.

This clinic is run by supportive audiologists who are skilled in using a wider range of specialist tests to diagnose hearing impairment in patients who have additional needs. Patients who have additional needs that include dementia, difficulties communicating and understanding and mental health difficulties will receive longer appointment times and annual check-ups to ensure that all of their needs are looked after.

Once hearing loss has been diagnosed, hearing aids can be fitted to help maximise the patient’s potential for effective communication.

At present, because of Covid-19, we are unable to provide our full service of domiciliary visits but if you have further questions about your needs or the needs of a person who is in your care, please do contact the department so that we can advise you on the best course of action.

We are very fortunate to have our in-house hearing and tinnitus therapist who is able to offer advice on tinnitus and ways to manage it, while supporting you in your feelings and experience surrounding tinnitus.

Our hearing therapist can also help if you are having difficulty with loud sounds

Our tinnitus therapist can provide information and facts about tinnitus and also offer regular follow ups for reassurance, should you need it.

At present, our tinnitus clinics are being carried out via video call. You will receive a text message to invite you to the session. The text message will also include information on how to access the video link.

The balance clinic offers a wide range of diagnostic tests to detect any balance dysfunctions that may be present. After a referral from Ear Nose and Throat, both adults and children can be assessed in this clinic if a doctor suspects that your balance problems may be caused by an inner ear disorder.

If a balance dysfunction is diagnosed after testing, we also offer a rehabilitation programme to help manage any related symptoms that you may have.

If you have received a time and date for balance testing then please take note of these points to help you prepare for your appointment.

1. Have your ears checked for wax by your GP before your appointment. Some procedures cannot be carried out if you have excessive wax in your ears.
2. Avoid eye make-up on the day of your appointment. This may make it more difficult for our eye measurement systems to record your eye movement.
3. Avoid alcohol or sleeping tablets for at least 24 hours before your appointment.
4. Please try to have a light meal or breakfast and normal drinks before the test if your appointment is in the morning. If it is the afternoon please have a light lunch and normal drinks.
5. You should have been told to stop any anti-dizziness medication you may have been taking for 48 hours prior to your appointment. However, do not stop taking these, or any other medication, unless you have been advised to do so by your doctor.

Additional devices are used alongside your hearing aids to give some extra help where it is needed. Your audiologist can give you more advice on how these additional devices work and where you are able to purchase them from.

Additional devices that are available include:

• Smoke alarm pillow alarm

If you feel that you would be at risk of not hearing the fire alarm if it were to go off, then Staffordshire Fire Service are able to provide you with a vibrating alarm that goes under your pillow at night. This is available from the fire service completely free of charge- providing you have a Staffordshire postcode. You are able to contact the fire service on 0800 0241 999 to arrange an appointment time that suits you.

• Flashing doorbells

 If you have some difficulties hearing the doorbell ringing, a flashing light can alert you when the doorbell is pressed.

• Loop system for your television

The loop system can help to improve the sound quality and clarity of the sound coming from your television. As well as the loop system, you just need to have the loop or T-coil programme on your hearing aids. Your audiologist will be able to activate this programme on your hearing aid(s), if you do not already have it.

• Oticon Streamer Pro 1.6

The Oticon Streamer Pro can be paired via Bluetooth to Oticon hearing aids. It can be used on its own, paired with your mobile phone or smart TV to stream the sound through your hearing aid(s) during phone calls or for playing music.

The streamer can also be paired to up to 6 different devices such as a TV box, landline modem and Oticon microphone. The microphone can be used in noisy settings where you are speaking to one person.

• Phonak Roger pen

The Phonak Roger pen can be used with Phonak and Oticon hearing aids. When pairing the Roger pen with Oticon hearing aids, a MyLink will be required as a go-between the hearing aids and the Roger pen.

Using Bluetooth, it can be paired with your mobile phone, be used in meetings or lectures and can also be paired with your television. It improves speech in noisy situations and can be put on a table, held in the hand or clipped onto the speaker's clothing.

• Phonak Roger Select

The Phonak Roger Select is useful when in a noisy situation with a group of people. When it is put onto a table, the Select can pick up and amplify the individual voices over noisy backgrounds. Using Bluetooth, it can also be paired with your television, mobile phone and computer.

When pairing the Roger pen with Oticon hearing aids, a MyLink will be required as a go-between the hearing aids and the Roger Select.

Try to keep your thin tube clean by wiping daily with a mild wet wipe such as a baby wipe. If the tubing is blocked or the earmould gets very dirty, you can clean it in the following way:

	Detach the tube from the hearing aid with a firm tug. Be careful not to bend the tubing as a bend will stop the sound from going through to your ear from the hearing aid.
	You should have been provided with a cleaning tube at your fitting appointment. Insert this through the top detached tubing to clear any debris or wax.
	Reattach the tubing by ‘clicking’ it together with the hearing aid.

If you experience difficulty with your hearing aid, please contact your Audiology Department.

Inserting your ear mould and hearing aid

	Hold the ear mould between your finger and thumb as shown. Pull it back in line with your ear.
	Put the part that goes down the ear canal (ear mould) into position.
	Then tuck in the part that goes into the crease at the top of the ear.
	Use your other hand to pull down your ear lobe. Push your ear mould firmly into place.
	Correct: Correctly fitted hearing aid
	Incorrect: Incorrectly fitted hearing aid

Ear mould cleaning

Try to keep your earmould clean by wiping daily with a mild wet
wipe such as a baby wipe. If the tubing is blocked or the earmould
gets very dirty, you can clean it in the following way:

	Detach the ear mould from the hearing aid.
	Wash the earmould (with the tubing still in its place) in lukewarm, soapy water. Rinse it well, shake the tubing to ensure no water is present or leave it to dry overnight. Then push the tubing back onto the hearing aid
	This picture shows the earmould placed incorrectly on the hearing aid, it has been reattached the wrong way around
	This picture shows the earmould placed correctly on the aid

It is important to have the tubing in your earmould replaced every six
months. With time, the tubing will harden and this will affect the sound
quality. You are welcome to book an appointment at the Adult Hearing
Aid Centre to have your earmould retubed, however if you would like
to have a go yourself please ask your audiologist for some spare tubing
and see the instructions below.

Step 1

Detach your earmould from the transparent hook part of the hearing aid. Clean and dry your earmould to remove any dirt and grease.

Step 2

Pull the old tubing out of the earmould. Keep the old tube, you will need it later.
• If this proves difficult, try soaking the mould in hot (not boiling) water for 5 minutes
• Pliers can also be used to pull the tube out.

Step 3

Take a new piece of tubing and taper one end to make a thin point. Thread it through the hole in the earmould towards the part that goes down
your ear until it comes out the end. 

Step 4

Using your fingers or the pliers pull the tube through until the bend reaches the mould and the tube turns directly upwards.

Step 5

Cut the tapered end off as close to the mould as possible. This can be done with scissors or a scalpel. Be careful not the cut the mould by accident!

 

Step 6

Use the old tube removed in step 2 to measure the length of the new tube
and cut where appropriate. Reattach to the hearing aid.

At the end

Your mould reattached to the hearing aid should look like this.