Vocal Voices

Just in case anyone is interested, this week the charity Hearing Link is doing a survey around the country to see which places have hearing loops and if they are working.
http://www.hearinglink.org/hearing-loop-awareness-week

So off I went into Salisbury to check a few loops out. I had my forms to fill in and I was looking for clear signage, a working loop and staff knowledge
I started at Sainsbury's because I know they have loops and I wanted to check that my HA was working...

Sainsbury's were good, but they mic needed shifting. The staff knew all about loops and were helpful

Library - terrible. A big sign on their desk but no working loop, didn't know what it was, where it was and left waiting while they farted about for 20 minutes. Said they would sort it out.

M&S - woeful! 3 hearing loops, none of them worked and no one knew how to test them or even how to turn them on.

Debenhams - woeful again. Great signs inside and outside the shop, but when I asked about the loop, most staff didn't know what or where it was and they hadn't had any training. It was discovered in an office, where it had been for months. I waited for 30 minutes while they fetched it and set it up. I was so frustrated I could have wept because the manager of the shop had called me some months ago telling me that he was going to sort this out. Anyway, it hadn't been charged, so wasn't working. I said I would come back in an hour. I did and there had been a change of staff, they were also clueless. The portable loop was still sitting on the counter charging up, but no one was there to help me.

BHS - hit and miss. They had 2 loops, I could tell they were on, but I wasn't hearing anything. The manager came and tested them for me (another long wait) He couldn't understand why. I was beginning to think my HA was on the blink at this point! But no, because...

Holland & Barratt - worked like a dream and the little assistant was lovely. Thank goodness that one worked because it was the one I pushed for.

Boots - the first girl at the counter looked at me like I was speaking another language, but fortunately the girl next to her was on the ball and went to fetch the portable loop, which only took a moment. It was charged and it worked.

I was exhausted after this and came home. It actually took hours to do just those few places. I wasn't expecting great things, but I was disgusted at the lack of training the staff were given and the bloody cheek they have in proudly displaying a hearing loop sign and then it not working. Shameful. This must be the same up and down the country. No wonder deaf people aren't using their loops. What's the point?

Such a shame that the bigger shops didn't have a clue - and such a lot of work for you too Loz.

Have a gert gert hug xx

And I really hope that they now sort themselves out. Even if it's just a little bit more.

Blimey Loz it's absolutely not good enough is it

You can see what's happening - the smaller places like Holland & Barratt, it's easy enough to make sure everyone who works there knows about it and how it works.
Bigger places need to sort themselves out to make sure it's on the training list for every member of staff.
As you rightly say, no point whatsoever in having the lovely signs

Well done though, it is hard work (((x)))

The staff should all be aware and full trained, otherwise it is misleading and rather dishonest to display the loop sign

What a shame Loz, apart from the little victory at Holland & Barrett it must have been pretty disheartening (((x)))

It was Kaz, but I wasn't really suprised. At least it has shown that there is a problem and this audit will hopefully give some people a shake-up.

shocking Loz, just shocking, I really would have expected more from the larger stores. Esp in this day of equality for all etc.... that is really really bad

But well done you for going out there and highlighting the issues; "small" steps from one person that will hopefully result in huge positive changes for many x

Thank you x