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FAQs

I have not been seen in Audiology before and would like to have my hearing tested. How can I access the service?

If you are aged 16 or above, you can ask your GP for a referral to Audiology. We will aim to see you within 4 weeks of receipt of your referral.

If you think your hearing has changed suddenly (within 24 hours) please consult your GP as soon as possible or go to A&E.

I have NHS hearing aids and would like a hearing reassessment

Contact the Audiology department to book a repair appointment and the clinician will first assess whether the hearing issues are related to any issues with the hearing aid. If hearing is suspected to have changed, the clinician will add you to the reassessment waiting list. 

Do I need to do anything before the assessment appointment?

Please ask your GP to check your ears before your appointment. We will not be able to carry out a hearing test if either of your ear canals are blocked with wax or if you have an active ear infection.

If required, your GP should arrange hospital transport for your first visit to Audiology. Please contact us if you require the assistance of a translator.

Please feel free to bring a friend or family member with you to your appointment.

Where will my appointment be?

Your appointment letter will tell you where your appointment will be. Please click here for information about all of our clinics. If you are in any doubt about how to find the department or where your appointment is, please contact us on 0117 342 5854 or email us at Audiology.dept@uhbw.nhs.uk

What should I do when I arrive?

Please check in at the front desk.

What will happen at my hearing assessment appointment?

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Your Audiologist will:

  • Discuss your hearing and medical history with you.
  • Examine your ears. If there is excessive wax or any abnormalities (e.g. an infection) you may be asked to go back to your GP.
  • Perform a hearing test. You will be presented with various tones at different levels via headphones. You will be asked to respond to any sounds you hear by pressing a button.
  • Perform further tests. Your Audiologist may choose to perform extra tests as necessary. They will advise you on what these tests entail. 

What happens next?

Your Audiologist will discuss your results with you. Your outcome will be one or more of the following:

  • Your hearing is within the normal range.
  • You require a referral to see an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist. We will write to your GP who will arrange this for you.
  • You may benefit from hearing aids.
  • You may benefit from Hearing and/or Tinnitus Therapy. You may need to see an ENT specialist first before we can arrange an appointment with a Hearing Therapist.
  • You may benefit from assistive devices (e.g. devices to help with the TV and/or telephone) or lip reading classes. We will issue you with the appropriate information.

If you are suitable for hearing aids and are happy to proceed with this, your Audiologist will discuss the devices available to you. They may also take an impression of your ear. This involves a small cotton tamp being inserted in to the ear canal and the canal being gently filled with a silicone based impression material. The material is removed from your ear after a few minutes, when it has hardened. Your Audiologist will arrange a further appointment to fit your hearing aids.

When will my hearing aids be fitted?

You will either be able to book your fitting appointment at the reception following your hearing assessment/reassessment or you will receive a letter inviting you to ring and book the appointment. Different sites have different waiting lists. Ask your clinician about which sites have the shortest waiting lists if you would like to have your hearing aids fitted sooner.

Do I need to do anything before my fitting appointment?

Please ask your GP to check your ears for wax or book a repair appointment for this if you feel that your ears are blocked with wax. We may not be able to carry out all of our measurements if there is an excess of wax. Additionally, we will not be able to fit your hearing aids if there is an active ear infection.

You will be given a lot of information in the hearing aid fitting appointment. Please feel free to bring a friend or family member with you. Please let us know if you require the assistance of a translator.

Where will my fitting appointment be?

When you book your appointment you will be given options as to where you would like to be seen. You can attend St Michael's Hospital, Southmead Hospital, Weston General Hospital or a number of outreach centres which may be closer to your home. Please click here for information about all of our clinics. If you are in any doubt about how to find the department or where your appointment is, please contact us at on 0117 342 5854 or email us at Audiology.dept@uhbw.nhs.uk

What should I do when I arrive at my fitting appointment?

Please check in at the front desk.

What will happen at my fitting appointment?

Your Audiologist will:

  • Examine your ears. If there is excessive wax or any abnormalities (e.g. an infection) you may be asked to go back to your GP.
  • Fit your hearing aids.
  • Verify the hearing aid fitting. Your Audiologist will place a small tube in your ear. This will act as a microphone and will measure the output of your hearing aid in your ear. Your Audiologist may run a series of measurements and adjust your hearing aids so that they closely match a target generated using your hearing test. You will be asked to keep your head as still as you can but you do not need to respond to any of the sounds.
  • Show you how to use your hearing aids, how to insert and remove them and how to clean them. Your Audiologist will also give you information on batteries and repairs.
  • Give you a year's supply of batteries and a set of information booklets to take away with you.

 

What happens after being fitted with hearing aids?

Normally we will post out a follow-up questionnaire which we ask you to return in 8 weeks time, and if you are having any difficulties we can then arrange a follow-up appointment. We advise patients to at least contact the Audiology department every year to either request for batteries and hearing aid tubes to be posted out (so patients can change the tubes themselves) or to arrange a 15 minutes repair appointment with the Audiology department so we can change the tubes.

If you are having any difficulties with your hearing aids or they stop working at any point, you can arrange a repair appointment by contacting us on 0117 342 5854 or email us at Audiology.dept@uhbw.nhs.uk

What is my repair appointment for?

Your repair appointment is only 10 - 15 minutes long. This appointment is not to adjust or tweak your hearing aids. If you think you need adjustments made to your hearing aids, you will need a longer follow-up appointment in the hearing aid clinic. Please contact us to arrange this.

The repair clinic is for:

  • Replacing or mending broken/faulty hearing aids
  • Re-tubing earmoulds
  • Taking impressions for new earmoulds
  • Fitting new earmoulds or for advice and assistance with fitting earmoulds

Your clinician can also check your ears for wax and offer advice on whether you need to see your GP/nurse practitioner for wax removal.

If you are not sure what appointment you need, please contact us.

How do I access information about infection control in University Hospitals Bristol?

If you would like to know more about infection control in our hospitals, including advice on when to stay at home when you are ill and hand washing when visiting hospitals please follow this link to the infection control team website /patients-and-visitors/infection-prevention-and-control/ 

Please note emails sent to Audiology.dept@uhbw.nhs.uk are insecure.