The Adult Audiology team is proud to provide a high-quality hearing care service to our patients. We work alongside our Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor team to offer diagnostic and rehabilitative audiology services for adults with hearing loss, tinnitus and balance disorders. Our experienced audiologists are dedicated to improving the quality of life for patients and their families by using the latest modern digital hearing aid technology, rehabilitation, support and advice. Our services comply with the guidelines of the British Society of Audiology, British Academy of Audiology and NICE.
The Audiology team is managed by the head of audiology and includes a deputy head of audiology, senior audiologists, audiologists, an audiology rehabilitation officer and assistant technical officers. We also have a full-time student on placement from University College London and students from Middlesex University.
Accreditation
We have achieved Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) accreditation and are a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited medical diagnostic service.
The IQIPS scheme is an assessment and accreditation process designed to help healthcare organisations ensure that patients receive consistently high-quality care.
Referrals
North West London GPs (except Hillingdon GPs): Can refer directly to Audiology via the NHS eReferral system. GPs can refer anyone from the age of 18 for a hearing test. If you already use an NHS hearing aid and need a reassessment, your GP still has to refer you. We can no longer accept non-complex referrals from GPs under the AQP Audiology contract. Please refer to an alternative AQP provider.
All other GPs: Can refer directly to Audiology for anyone over the age of 60, but they must present with hearing difficulties in both ears. Requests are accepted through the NHS e-referral system or in electronic format to our email address from any primary care professional or hospital practitioners. This is relevant for all new patients. If you already use an NHS hearing aid issued by our team and need a reassessment, you can contact us directly to book an appointment.
If you do present with other ear-related problems, then your GP (Hounslow, Ealing and Harrow CCGs) or one of our audiologists (for all other CCGs) may need to refer you to the ENT doctor.
Please ensure your ears are not blocked by wax or we may not be able to carry out any hearing test. Ears blocked with wax can affect the outcome of your hearing test as well as the functioning and programming of your hearing aid. For any queries regarding the ear microsuction service, please contact the ENT team directly on: 020 8321 5904. New patients will need a referral from their GP for this service. Please note, this service has very long waiting times due to high demand.
Home visits can be provided on request by your GP (a strict criterion applies to qualify for this service).
Existing hearing aid patients
We recommend you have a hearing aid reassessment every three years. Please note if you have had a hearing test and new hearing aids issued in less than the last three years, then we will offer you a hearing aid repair appointment to discuss your amplification needs. You must return your current NHS hearing aid in order to qualify for an upgraded hearing aid at a reassessment appointment.
We currently offer a postal service if you require new batteries or tubing. If you need to have your hearing aid tubing replaced and you cannot do this yourself, then you can either:
Drop your hearing aid off in the repair drop-off (marked IN) box situated at our Audiology Reception Desk, West Middlesex University Hospital (see reception opening times). Please ensure you place it in one of the repair envelopes and complete all the required details. We aim to have this completed for you within 24 hours, and you can collect it from the repair collection box (marked OUT). On occasion, it may take us longer to complete this, but your hearing aid will always be available to collect the next working day.
Post your hearing aid (see contact details for address) and a note stating what the problem is. We will repair your hearing on the same day we receive it and post it back to you. Please note we have no control over the Royal Mail postal service times and you should allow up to two weeks for your hearing aid to arrive. We would like to advise you that hearing aids can go missing in the post and we only recommend this service if you have no other option. As a precaution, we recommend you use registered post for this option.
NHS hearing aid batteries can also be collected from the Main Reception desk at West Middlesex Hospital. Alternatively, you can also collect batteries from the ground floor OPD Reception Desk at Teddington Memorial Hospital or the reception of St David’s Practice at the Feltham Centre for Health. Batteries are provided free of charge to our NHS hearing aid patients.
Please bring the NHS brown battery book with you—this was given to you when you first received your NHS hearing aid. You can also send a relative or friend to collect them on your behalf, as long as they bring along your NHS brown battery book. Alternatively, you can post your battery book in, and the batteries will be posted back to you, provided you supply a self-addressed envelope and stamp.
We offer emergency hearing aid repair appointments Mon–Fri within 48 hours of contacting us. These are extremely limited and are based on a first come, first served basis. Please contact us asap if you require an emergency repair appointment. Please note, hearing aid adjustments are not considered an emergency and the first available routine repair appointment will be offered to you.
NHS hearing aids are provided free of charge as a loan to you. They are yours for as long as you require them, but remain property of the NHS at all times. Therefore, on accepting NHS hearing aids, you are agreeing to return them to us if you no longer require them, as they are the property of the NHS.
Please look after your hearing aid. If you have lost your hearing aid, please contact us as soon as possible. There is a charge to replace hearing aids that have been damaged (due to negligence) or lost.
If you would like further help and advice on management of tinnitus, your GP can refer you to our Tinnitus Direct Access Clinic through the NHS e-referral system. We will accept the referral if your symptoms meet the referral criteria. Alternatively, your GP must refer you directly to the ENT specialist doctor.
Our team at the Audiology department would like to hear your thoughts, ideas and concerns on how we could improve the service. In our Hearing Aid User group, we give you, as the service user, the opportunity to discuss our audiology service as a whole to help us gain a different perspective of our service. We would like you to raise concerns and to share your thoughts and ideas so we can ensure our service provides patient-centred care.
If you would like to join our group, please contact us. Our group meetings are held via an online video conferencing platform, therefore computer/smart device skills are desirable.
