"Audiology Department - Hearing aid assessment"

This is not a complaint, merely my observations.

I visited the hospital on Friday 22nd July 2016 with my father.

He had been experiencing a reduction in his hearing and needed to have his hearing aids adjusted or replaced.

He is 94.

I have attended appointments with him in the past and have found the service to be mostly helpful and efficient.

However, it came to my attention on this latest visit that the staff i observed were not really taking into account that their patients had hearing difficulties!

The member of staff my father saw spent most of the time with their back to my father.

Hence, without his hearing aids in, my father was not able to lip read and could not therefore understand what the member of staff was saying or answer any of the questions!

I found this incredible given that hearing impairments were the main reason for visiting.

I also observed an elderly man being taken behind a screen for some tests - the nurse talked the whole time with their back to him.

Basic education is needed here!

Patients should be treated in line with their needs the whole time.

I am an educator and find it astonishing that people with such poor attitudes towards their patients should be allowed to continue without better basic training.

Please do contact me if you would like some free advice in relation to this matter.