Soundfair and the Deafness Foundation have launched a new suite of hearing health information resources for GPs and their patients. With research showing it takes an average of 10 years for people to access help for their hearing loss, this suite of resources was funded by the Deafness Foundation and developed by Soundfair in consultation with GPs and people with hearing loss.
The patient resources are available as webpages and PDF downloads from Soundfair’s website. They cover 14 topics, including:
- Signs of hearing loss
- Impacts of hearing conditions
- Hearing loss explained
- Communication tips for friends and family
- Communication tips for hearing conditions
- Where can I go to check my hearing?
- What questions should I ask my GP?
- What funding support am I eligible for?
- What tech and devices might help me?
- Questions for your first audiology appointment
- Tips for choosing a hearing healthcare clinician
- What to expect at your first audiology appointment
- Break the stigma
- Tips if you feel unsure.
The website also has a referral algorithm for GPs, information on funding pathways and a tool to search for an audiologist.