Your hearing reassessment
Introduction
You, your GP or your ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist has requested a reassessment of your hearing and hearing aid by the adult hearing aid department at West Middlesex University Hospital.
Your appointment letter confirms the date, time and location of your appointment.
What will happen at my appointment?
At your appointment we will verify your personal details. You will be asked some questions about your ears, general health and any situations in which you are having difficulty hearing.
We will look into your ears and check that they are healthy and free of wax. You will listen to a series of sounds presented through headphones and be asked to press a button every time you hear a sound. This allows us to measure the quietest sounds you are able to hear.
Occasionally we may also do a pressure test to check how well your eardrums are moving and if you have any fluid behind your eardrum. We will explain the hearing test results to you.
We will programme the latest digital behind-the-ear hearing aid to match your hearing test results. The method used is called real ear measurement and it involves placing a fine, soft and flexible tube into the outside of your ear canal. You will hear medium, soft and loud sounds which enable us to see how the hearing aid performs in your ear.
A full explanation of how to use your new hearing aid will be given along with a new hearing aid guidance book. We will offer you a follow-up appointment by telephone or face-to-face. Please refer to your new guidance book for more details.
Depending on the outcome of your hearing assessment, we may refer you to the ENT department, with your consent. We will send your GP a letter summarising the outcome of your hearing assessment.
Who will be seeing me?
All hearing assessments are carried out by a qualified audiologist, who is registered with the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists.
We are a teaching hospital so, on occasion, there may also be a student present in the appointment or you may be seen by a student supervised by an audiologist. If you are not comfortable with this, please let us know when you check in for your appointment at the audiology reception desk.
How long will my appointment take?
Your appointment will take 30–45 minutes. We aim to see you on time but sometimes audiology clinics can be unavoidably delayed. We will keep you informed if there is a delay to your appointment.
How do I prepare for my appointment?
Please ensure your ears are free of wax. If your ears are blocked with wax or you have an active infection in your ear we will not be able to carry out your hearing test.
If you need an interpreter, please contact us to arrange this well in advance of your appointment. We cannot guarantee availability of interpreters for all languages.
If you require hospital transport please contact us well in advance to arrange this.
If you wish to bring a family member, carer or friend to this appointment please feel free to do so.
Can I cancel my appointment?
If you need to cancel your appointment, please call the department on 020 8321 5681. If you cancel your appointment more than two times, you will be discharged back to your GP and will need to be referred to our service again, in line with Trust policy.
Notes about your appointment
- Please bring your current hearing aid with you to your appointment
- Please arrive on time for your appointment
- Please switch off or silence your mobile phone before entering the consultation room