Our Audiology service is undergoing essential improvements to ensure we can continue to provide high-quality care. Following a recent review, we are upgrading our IT systems, equipment, and clinical spaces to meet all required standards and create a more sustainable service for the future.

What you need to know

Temporary changes to services:  Some aspects of our service remain limited while we focus on resolving IT and equipment issues, improving facilities, and ensuring compliance with essential standards.

Prioritising urgent cases:  Urgent referrals are still being seen, particularly for children. We are working with neighbouring providers in South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire to ensure these patients continue to receive care.

Services still available: We continue to provide:

• Simple hearing aid repairs, such as replacing tubes and batteries, with around 100 appointments each week.
• Tinnitus counselling.
• Certain diagnostic tests, including Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR).
• Around 400 non-complex adult hearing tests through a high street provider to help reduce waiting times.
• Some urgent hearing tests and hearing aid fittings for those waiting the longest.

Appointments and next steps

All non-urgent appointments will be cancelled and moved into our new system. They will then be rescheduled. This is a normal part of the process as we bring services back.

If your appointment is affected, you will receive a letter in the next few days or weeks explaining the changes.

We understand this may be frustrating, and we are sorry for any inconvenience. We are working hard to restart services as quickly as possible. Some adult appointments have already resumed, and services will return step by step between now and summer. We will continue to share updates.

If your hearing changes suddenly

Hearing changes can be caused by common issues like earwax build-up or infections, which your pharmacist can help with – here is some further guidance and information: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hearing-loss/.

However, some changes need urgent medical attention.

When to seek help

• Lost hearing suddenly in one or both ears (within the last three days)? Go to the Emergency Department immediately.
• Hearing has worsened rapidly over days or weeks (between four and 90 days)? Contact your GP practice — if appropriate they may adjust your referral or recommend you go to the Emergency Department.

Who qualifies for urgent Audiology referrals?

We prioritise patients with terminal illness, sight loss, dementia, severe hearing loss, severe tinnitus, and urgent children’s cases. We also give high priority to those with both hearing aids broken or lost, especially if this is impacting their ability to work.

Patients with one hearing aid broken or lost, or those with moderate hearing loss, severe tinnitus, dementia, or sight loss are also prioritised, though to a slightly lesser extent.

How to contact us

If you think you need urgent care or need advice, you can contact the service directly via:

• Adult Audiology: 01302 644950 or dbth.hearing.rehab@nhs.net
• Children’s Audiology: 01302 642763 or dbth.childrens.audiology@nhs.net
• Text phone (text only): 07796 174900

For updates, visit: www.dbth.nhs.uk/services/hearing-services-audiology

Next steps

We are working hard to restart services as quickly as possible. Please note, the below may be subject to change:

• March 2025: Expected completion of essential estates work and IT system improvements. We aim to confirm a definitive date for resuming services by the end of this month.
• From late spring 2025 onwards: Some services will begin to resume in a phased approach, prioritising urgent and long-waiting patients first.
• September 2025: All previously postponed appointments will be rescheduled, ensuring fair and timely access to care.

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Your questions answered

1. Why are some Audiology services being limited?

In October 2024, we made the difficult decision to pause parts of our Audiology (Hearing)  service to resolve key issues impacting the quality of care we were able to provide to our patients. The issues related to processes, IT systems and clinical spaces. Making improvements now is essential to ensure we meet all digital and estate standards and provide a high-quality, sustainable service for our patients in the long term.

2. Which services are unavailable?

Hearing assessments and hearing aid fittings for both adults and children are currently limited. Urgent patients are being prioritised and will still be seen.

We continue to provide:

• Urgent hearing assessments for those meeting priority criteria (see Q10 for criteria)
• Urgent hearing aid repairs (e.g. tube and battery replacements).
• Tinnitus support clinics.
• Certain diagnostic tests, such as Auditory Brainstem Response.

3. Will I still be able to access urgent care if needed?

Yes. Our highest priority is ensuring urgent cases receive care. We are working closely with neighbouring providers in South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire to support urgent referrals. If your case is considered urgent, we will contact you directly to arrange care.

If your appointment has been postponed, but due to a change in circumstances you believe you now meet the urgent criteria (see Q11),  please contact the audiology service (contact details below).

4. I’m on the waiting list—will I lose my place?

No, you will not lose your place on the waiting list. We continue to triage all patients, ensuring those with the most urgent needs are prioritised when services resume. Over 50% of waiting list patients have already been triaged, and this work is ongoing.

5. How long will these service limitations last?

We anticipate being able to start reinstating services from late spring 2025 onwards. However, this timeline depends on ongoing estates work, system upgrades, and service readiness. We are working towards confirming a date by the end of March and will share further updates as soon as possible.

6. Will I be contacted if I’m affected by these changes?

Yes. If your appointment or treatment is affected, we will contact you directly. If you do not hear from us, your appointment remains as scheduled.

7. What should I do if I need to speak to someone?

If you believe that you do meet the urgent criteria, are concerned that your hearing is deteriorating or need advice regarding your condition, please contact the Audiology service directly. The team will assess your situation and advise on the next steps:

• Email the Adult Audiology Service: dbth.hearing.rehab@nhs.net
• Adult Audiology: 01302 644950
• Children’s Audiology: 01302 642763
• Text phone (text only): 07796174900
• Email the Children’s Audiology Service: dbth.childrens.audiology@nhs.net

8. Why are these changes necessary?

These changes are part of an improvement plan to ensure that our Audiology service meets all essential standards, operates efficiently helping to reduce waiting times, and provide the best possible care for our patients. By upgrading IT systems, improving clinical spaces, and reviewing our processes, we are securing the long-term future of the service.

9.. What is being done to ensure that the service can provide better care in the future?

Key improvements include:

• Upgrading technology (IT systems) that support programming and fitting hearing aids
• Making necessary improvements to clinical spaces where hearing assessments take place
• 200 non-complex adult hearing tests will be completed by a high street provider to help manage demand
• Prioritising urgent cases by working closely with partner providers

These improvements will help us provide a more effective and sustainable service in the long term.

10. What are the criteria for urgent referrals?

We prioritise patients with terminal illness, sight loss, dementia, severe hearing loss, severe tinnitus, and urgent children’s cases. We also give high priority to those with both hearing aids broken or lost, especially if this is impacting their ability to work.

Patients with one hearing aid broken or lost, or those with moderate hearing loss, severe tinnitus, dementia, or sight loss are also prioritised, though to a slightly lesser extent.

11. How can I stay informed about the changes?

We will provide regular updates via the Trust website and direct communication with affected patients. Please ensure we have your up-to-date contact details. If you have any questions, you can also reach out to the PALS team.

12. What should I do if I need to make a complaint?

If you wish to register a complaint or concern, please contact the PALS team:

Telephone: (01302) 642764
Freephone: 0800 028 8059
Email: dbth.pals.dbh@nhs.net

13. Will I still be able to access Audiology services if I have a non-urgent need?

While routine services are currently paused, non-urgent patients will experience some delays.

We sincerely apologise for the delays caused and understand that this is an extremely challenging time for our audiology patients. We will contact you as soon as services are back up and running to reschedule your appointment.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work towards delivering an enhanced, more resilient Audiology service in the future.

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About Audiology

We provide audiology services over five locations:

• Sandringham Road Centre, Intake Doncaster DN2 5JH (please note that this service is separate to the practice and is NOT contactable through the GP number)
• Montagu Hospital, Mexborough, S64 0AZ
• Retofrd Hospital, Retford, DN22 7XF
• Bassetlaw Hospital, Worksop, S81 0BD
• Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Doncaster, DN2 5LT

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