At this appointment you will be seen by an NHS Audiologist. You are welcome to bring a friend or relative with you. You will be asked some questions about your general health as well as your current listening experience. Please have a think about specific hearing difficulties you may be having, prior to attending the appointment, so the Audiologists are best able to support your hearing needs.
Please let the Audiology team know prior to, or during your appointment if you have any specific communication needs, or if you would like our written information in a different format.
If you are taking regular medication, it would be helpful if you could bring with you a list of these medications, as the Audiologist will ask you about this.
The Audiologist will also ask you about the difficulties you have with your hearing, what situations are worse than others, how long you have been aware of a problem, family history of hearing problems etc.
After a full history has been taken the Audiologist will examine your ears. As long as your ears are clear and healthy then the hearing test will be completed.
After the test has been completed, the Audiologist will explain the hearing results to you. If you are identified as having a hearing loss the Audiologist will explain why it has the impact it has on your daily activities. Then they will discuss what the options are for you. If a hearing aid is appropriate, the audiologist will explain how they work, will show you examples of the model you could be fitted with and explain the process of adjustment, habituation. A report will be sent back to your GP, so please remember to tell the audiologist if there is anything you wish omitted from this report.
Dependant on the type of aid to be fitted to you, the Audiologist may or may not take an impression of your ear. If this must be done, it is a simple procedure, which involves gently syringing putty like material into the ear. This will set, allowing a firm impression of the ear to be removed. Parking is charged for at Crawley, Horsham, East Surrey and Wayside GP surgery, so please ensure you have some change available.
Lastly, if you are to return for a hearing aid fitting, the audiologist will arrange this with you before you go home. This is usually 2-8 weeks from this first appointment.