I contacted the charity Hearing Link over the weekend because I wondered if they had a poster or a flyer I could put up in the audiology department. I need something that encourages patients to enquire about the loop program on their hearing aid because the audiologists are doing nothing to promote it, in fact my audiology department say it is worthless! I told Hearing Link about my experiences and what I was trying to do. I got this reply this morning...Louise,
Hello, thank you for your email. I work for Hearing Link and one of my roles is looking after hearing loops. We have been working on a very successful project in Eastbourne called "Let's Loop Eastbourne" and here is a weblink to show the sort of work which is going on. It is from the BBC's Breakfast Time programme and this was broadcast last September: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24076383
Hearing Link is now looking to roll out similar projects at 12 towns and cities across the UK - including Southampton, Bournemouth and Swindon. This will involve engaging with the council and key players in those places to work to improve the availability and quality of hearing loops.
On an individual basis, I am working with people with hearing loss to see if we can put together a smaller scale project with a couple of people. And possibly we could do that in Salisbury. Ironically, I have been talking to Holland & Barrett who are looking at putting a loop in their Salisbury store following a complaint from a customer.
Are you involved with a group of people who suffer from hearing loss like yourself? I live not far from you in Bournemouth so perhaps this is something which we could work on.
Best wishes,
Dave.
Dave King | User Experience Manager
Hearing Link: Head Office, 27-28 The Waterfront, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 5UZ
p.s that customer was me
