Community hearing clinics on way

The audiology service at Barnsley Hospital says it is “responding to patient demand” by providing new outreach services.

The clinics, held at Enable Barnsley in the town centre and the health centre in Penistone, will make it easier for patients with hearing aids to attend services closer to their home for basic hearing aid repairs and maintenance.

Staff from Barnsley Hospital’s audiology department run the clinics along with volunteers, some of whom wear hearing aids themselves and have been trained to perform the basic repairs.

Debbie Evans, specialist audiologist at Barnsley Hospital said: “Introducing the volunteer-led service allows us to see more patients, more efficiently.

“Patients receive the same help and treatment they would in the hospital but in a setting that’s easier for them to get to and often less stressful.

“Patients tell us that they prefer the service as they don’t have such a long trip to hospital.”

Details of the dates and times of the clinics are available on the Barnsley Hospital website.