Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has joined forces with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) – the national charity that supports people who are deaf, have hearing loss, or tinnitus – to provide a hearing aid support service for residents, their families, friends and colleagues in care homes across Somerset.
There are over 80,000 people in Somerset with moderate, severe or profound hearing loss, and this is rising with the ageing population.
Hearing loss is the second most common disability in the UK. However, as an invisible disability, it so often goes unnoticed.
Over 4,000 older people in Somerset live in care homes and are disproportionately affected by hearing loss, with approximately 75% of residents having an issue with their hearing.
Unassisted hearing loss can have a significant impact on older people, leading to social isolation, depression, reduced quality of life, and loss of independence and mobility.
The new partnership between Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and the RNID will provide basic hearing aid repairs, hearing checks, information and signposting to the 200 care homes across the county, to ensure care home residents are able to access the services and support they need.
The service will be run by volunteers who’ve been highly trained by both the RNID and the NHS trust.
The volunteers will also work with care home colleagues and the families of residents, to promote awareness of hearing loss and support with communication.
Only 41% of the general public are confident when communicating with people with hearing loss, so this service is expected to play a big part in increasing confidence and skills of the public and care home colleagues to invite those with hearing loss back into the conversation.
Emma Ralph, an audiologist and audiology manager at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Providing this service in Somerset will improve access to hearing services, reduce the issues associated with hearing loss such as loneliness and isolation, reduce travel times, and, most importantly, improve patient experience.”
Rachael Beech, service manager at RNID, added: “This partnership will enable RNID and Somerset FT to deliver on two of RNID’s core aims of further supporting inclusion and improving hearing health through increasing accessibility to hearing checks, making a big impact on those impacted by hearing loss.”
David Craig, programme director for diagnostics at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, added that he’s delighted that the trust is working in partnership with the RNID.
“This new partnership will enable both organisations to further expand the range and access to services for the residents of Somerset,” he says.
“Both organisations bring their own skills and experiences of caring for patients with hearing loss and it is hoped this collaboration will expand further in the future so we can continue to provide the highest quality of services to the residents of Somerset.”