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Hearing impairment

I am worried about my hearing

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

Your doctor will look in both ears and may find that it is a problem that can be corrected at the surgery. They may also 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 needs.

The NHS may provide this hearing aid for you, or you may choose to go to a private company and buy hearing aids yourself. If you choose a private company, make sure you choose a company that you trust and who will continue to offer you support after you have bought your hearing aids.

Hearing loss 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:

  1. Deaf
  2. Deaf with speech
  3. Hard of hearing

Criteria for registration

We will accept the following documents when applying for registration:

  • Audiogram
  • Letter from audiology
  • Hearing aid battery book

When you provide this to us we will ask you if you would like to register and arrange an assessment of your needs. To register, please contact Adult Care Connect:

Professionals should instead use the professional referral form. 

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, for example Spectrum.

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 other help is available?

We can also provide:

  • Safety equipment
  • Advice and support
  • Sign posting