Useful Information
Below is a list of relevant professionals, charities and other useful information for deaf and hard of hearing communities, these websites provide support and advice and helpful links.
Blogs Charities Professional associations Finding a school
Finding an audiologist Useful information
The Deaf Blog
Provides information about cochlear and baha implants and the impact they have in helping both young and old to hear.
Charities
SignHealth, the Healthcare charity for Deaf People, is committed to energising change to improve the healthcare and equality of health care provision for deaf people in the UK. SignHealth has developed a new web-based program, SignTranslate, to help Deaf people communicate with GPs and hospital staff.
Deafness Research is the only national charity dedicated to supporting medical research into deafness and other hearing disorders, with unrivalled access to the UK's top researchers. The charity can advise on the very latest findings on all aspects of hearing loss and other hearing disorders.
RNID Royal National Institute for Deaf People raises awareness of deafness and hearing loss by campaigning and lobbying while providing social and medical services and technical research.
DeafPLUS works to encourage integration and equality between deaf and hearing people and provides advocacy and advice, training and support in all areas of employment, social, leisure and support activities.
Hearing Concern LINK helps deaf and hard of hearing people to combat the isolation of hearing loss through support, advice and information. They provide a wide range of contact websites and information to assist deaf and hard of hearing people.
NDCS National Deaf Children's Society is a charity which promotes and supports help for deaf children and their mission is to remove the barriers to the achievement of deaf children throughout the world.
For further charities got to the Charities Directory.
Professional associations
ATLA Association of Lip Reading Teachers for Adults is the professional association for teachers of lip reading, for adults who have become deaf or hard of hearing. ATLA aims to promote understanding of the special needs of people with an acquired hearing loss.
School Train provides a comprehensive list of specialist schools for deaf or hard of hearing children.
Finding an audiologist
BSHAA British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists is the professional body representing and promoting interests of the private hearing aid profession within the UK. On their website you can find your nearest audiologist.
AIHHP Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals is dedicated to promoting excellence within the UK Hearing Care profession, providing a range of services including hearing assessments, hearing aid provision, hearing protection and other specialised services relating to hearing.
NHS In the UK hearing assessment and hearing aids are available free of charge from the National Health Service Audiology Services. You have the right to have your hearing assessed, especially if your hearing is affecting your everyday life.
How can I get my hearing assessed or get NHS hearing aids?
If you are concerned about your hearing visit your GP who may then refer you to either a hospital Ear, Nose and Throat clinic or directly to an Audiology Department. You will be asked some questions about your ears and hearing and some hearing tests may be carried out.
How long will I have to wait for a hearing assessment and NHS hearing aids?
ENT and Audiology services are part of the national NHS ‘18 week’ program, your hearing should be assessed within six weeks of your GP making a referral and you should receive your hearing aid within 18 weeks of your initial GP referral. Thanks to Sam Blakemore and the RNID for this information
Useful information
DDA The Disability Discrimination Act requires public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.
The RNID also provide a factsheet on the DDA for deaf and hard of hearing people which can be downloaded from their website.
Citizen's Advice Bureau has a YouTube channel to offer advice to the Deaf community through signed videos.
VAT Purchase of equipment for deaf and hard of hearing people does not incur VAT. Ask your supplier for a VAT Relief form which you sign and return and which enables purchase of equipment to be free from VAT. Contact our National Advice Service on 0845 010 9000.
Disabled Go is an online directory detailing access information for venues across the UK.
DSA Disabled Students' Allowances are grants to help meet the extra course costs students can face as a direct result of a disability, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty. Download an application form and find further inormation online.
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