An innovative new ‘locate and rate’ website from Action on Hearing Loss which helps people to find local hearing services best suited to their individual needs has received the support of Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas (1).

The ‘Locate and rate’ website, backed by the Department of Health, allows people with hearing loss to comment on and rate their local NHS and private hearing services in terms of service accessibility, the clarity of explanations about hearing test results, and the usefulness of advice about communication support services.

The site, which also includes guidelines detailing the quality of service that people should expect and how to make formal complaints if hearing services do not meet their requirements, has been welcomed by the MP as a way of helping to improve hearing services in the city.

Caroline is also a supporter of the Our Space Project in Brighton and Hove, which explores spaces to bring deaf and hard of hearing people together (2).

She will speak at an event this evening (25 September) to highlight current issues affecting deaf people living in Brighton and Hove.

Caroline Lucas said:

“On average, people take 10 years to address their hearing loss. So when someone decides to take action, it’s important that they can make informed decisions about which local hearing services to use.

“Action on Hearing Loss’s ‘locate and rate’ website gives people with hearing loss the opportunity to air their views about the issues that matter to them.

“It has the potential to be a real driving force in helping hearing services in Brighton and Hove to meet and exceed the expectations of local service users.”

Chief Executive for Action on Hearing Loss, Paul Breckell, said:

“We are delighted that Caroline is supporting ‘locate and rate’ which will empower her constituents to make informed decisions about hearing services, and crucially  show services where they have room for improvement.

“People with hearing loss in Brighton and Hove have the right to expect the very best hearing services and ‘locate and rate’ is shining a light on services that are good, as well as those that need to do better.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

1) Action on Hearing Loss is the UK’s largest charity taking action on hearing loss. We want a world where hearing loss doesn’t limit or label people – and where people value their hearing enough to look after it. For further information about Action on Hearing Loss or to become a member, visit www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk, contact the Action on Hearing Loss Information Line on 0808 808 0123 (freephone) or 0808 808 9000 (textphone) or email informationline@hearingloss.org.uk.

2) The Our Space Project is a project in partnership with the Universities of Brighton and Sussex, the NHS, Primary Care Trust, experts in community therapy and deaf service providers.