What is a transition?

When a service user reaches 16 years old, they are moved to the adult audiology department, as they have reached the maximum age that our service provides for.

Your paperwork and history from our department is sent to adult audiology so they have the same information about you that we have, to continue to provide an effective service.

What happens to my hearing aids and accessories?

• The adult department will allow you to keep your hearing aids for as long as possible, until they break. The department will then swap to their own ‘Siemens’ hearing aids. However, you will be allowed to keep your old hearing aids if you wish.
• The Hearing aids with the adult department are only offered in the colour beige, dark champagne or brown.
• The initial hearing aid is free of charge, but if it is lost from the second hearing aid onward, the department are allowed to charge from £69.19 upward for a replacement, depending on the hearing aid model.
• Batteries can be provided by the department, as well as Maidstone Hospital (only) 'league of friends' charity. The department should be informed that new batteries are needed, rather than turning up without notice.
• Frequency Modulation (FM) Systems are not provided by the department and require the service user the fund their own system, if there is no involvement from the Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) team.

Appointments

The adult department are patient-led appointments, meaning that they will not send out appointment letters of their own initiative. This means that the service user is required to make their own appointment via email.

If an appointment is not made or attended within a three year timespan, the service user will be discharged. Adults recommend a hearing test and/or impression appointments within the one to two year timespan. However, if the service user is known to have a progressive hearing loss, they may recommend a hearing test on a more regular basis.

Appointments are carried out across Sheppey, Sittingbourne, Gravesend and Dartford hospital locations.

Those with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) can be seen for APD reviews, as long as their hearing thresholds remain within normal limits.

Walk-in repair sessions are sometimes offered, but you are required to call first thing in the morning and listen to the message, to see if it is open on that day or not. However, this is only possible for those with the adults ‘Siemens’ hearing aids. Phonak hearing aid users will require a pre-booked appointment.

Appointment requests must be specific in exactly what is being sought – a ‘hearing aid review’ will not include a hearing test, so this must be mentioned separately.

Additional support

The service user will have continued support from the Teachers of the Deaf (Tod’s) until 19 years old. You can then seek further support the education support/disability resource centre if going into further education outside of Medway or going toward university. However, Educational support is offered past 19 if still in full time education within a Medway College

If you are planning to go into a workplace for further study (apprenticeships), then you may contact the employer to put reasonable adjustments in place. If your needs are not met with the employed support, you may be able to get help from the 'access to work' scheme. This may include a grant to help cover costs of further support that the employer cannot provide. Please visit Gov.uk/access-to-work for further information.

The Adult service have a hearing therapies service to provide support with those suffering with tinnitus and communication issues. If you are having difficulty with aspects of hearing aid use affecting daily life, it would be worth seeing if you would qualify for extra clinical support from hearing therapy.

Microsuction can be provided on the NHS, but is a long waiting list and only done in exceptional circumstances, for example, chronically infected ears, mastoid cavities and post surgical wax. The adult service encourage the service user to have microsuction done privately if they need the wax removed in a timely manner.

Summary

• Appointments made by service user only.
• Hearing aids will be replaced with a separate model when broken.
• Hearing aids are able to be charged financially, for a lost hearing aid.
• Educational support is offered by specialist teachers until 19, but will support further if still in full time education within a Medway College.
• Microsuction should be referred to the GP to conduct or refer to a service that will do this. There is also the option to have private microsuction to likely be seen faster, but they will not recommend a certain company or individual.
• Email contact recommended only.
• If you have any queries or require a further appointment prior to transition, contact us.