- Aim: Drive the Department of Health (DH) action plan to ensure the standard 18-week waiting time target from referral to assessment for a hearing aid is met and consistent with RNID’s vision for a locally accessible service.
- Impact: DH has introduced a six-week target from referral to assessment for a hearing aid and through our campaigning and lobbying work, the average time people have to wait for an assessment has fallen dramatically with most areas meeting the six-week target.
However, this still leaves many people waiting to have their hearing aid fitted. An 18-week target from referral to fitting is due to be in place for December 2008 and we continue to work to ensure quality of the service is maintained and that the 18-week target is met.
- Aim: Increase public awareness of tinnitus and of the support available to manage the condition. Secure 100 million opportunities to see information and reach 130,000 people through a top-quality information service.
- Impact: We achieved more than 300 million media opportunities to see information about our tinnitus work.
Our website www.tuneouttinnitus.org.uk, launched in July 2007, has so far been visited by around 47,000 visitors. We also answered 3,497 Tinnitus Helpline enquiries and distributed 4,000 copies of our magazine Tinnitus Focus to audiologists and other professionals who support people with tinnitus.
We distributed more than 136,000 leaflets about tinnitus through various channels throughout the UK, including GP surgeries and audiology clinics. We held two successful study days for audiologists and hearing therapists to share research methods and results.
- Aim: Improve the effectiveness of audiology services by securing three new contracts by March 2008 to deliver audiology support services and provide volunteers to support hearing aid wearers.
- Impact: We have secured three new audiology support services in the last 12 months, carrying out simple maintenance, support and signposting. In Milton Keynes and on the Isle of Wight these services are funded by Primary Care Trusts. In the Royal Borough of Kingston we have developed a service in partnership with local statutory agencies including Age Concern and other voluntary groups.
As well as helping to create capacity in audiology departments, our services enable clients to live independently, reducing the need for more complex care. We are continuing to develop our coverage and will start two further new services in south and west London during 2008/9.
Florence's story
Florence, 79, has had hearing loss and tinnitus for 40 years. Her tinnitus means she often feels like she is sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft.
“My biggest problem with tinnitus is that …when I am alone I don't know if the noise is in my ear or if there is a fire in the house.” Florence
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Did you know...
200 tonnes
this is how much RNID has reduced its CO2 emissions.