Hearing Loops at UHSFT

Healthwatch Southampton worked with University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust (UHS FT) to review hearing loop provision for patients with hearing loss as part of efforts to meet the NHS Accessible Information Standard. An audit of hearing loops across hospital sites found that many deaf and hard-of-hearing patients were experiencing communication difficulties, including missing appointments and struggling to hear instructions at reception areas. 

The audit found that only a small number of hearing loops were functioning correctly. While loops in the main reception, a shared oncology/cardiothoracic outpatient area and the hospital chapel were working, there was limited staff awareness of hearing loop systems and several installed loops were either not working or not being used correctly. 

Healthwatch identified a number of hospital locations where hearing loops were either absent or urgently needed, including the Emergency Department reception, X-ray reception and several outpatient areas. Staff in some departments reported difficulties communicating with patients who had hearing impairments and welcomed the idea of improved assistive technology. 

Overall, the report concluded that significant improvements were needed to make services more accessible for people with hearing loss. Recommendations included repairing and maintaining existing loops, providing staff training, assigning responsibility for accessibility equipment, introducing hearing loops in priority locations and ensuring accessibility is considered in future building and refurbishment projects.