We support adults and children in Dorset with hearing loss and balance difficulties.

Our staff see people at clinics across Dorset, for hearing assessments, hearing aid fittings, follow-ups and repairs, tinnitus counselling and balance assessments.

If you are aged under 50 and are concerned about your hearing, speak to your GP in the first instance. If you are aged 50 or over, and are registered with a Dorset GP, you can self-refer directly to us for help. Please read the information below.

Children and babies are referred to us through the newborn hearing screening programme, GPs, health visitors, school nurses and paediatricians. 

Expected waiting time for service

Our aim is to see patients (adults and children) for an initial assessment within six-weeks. For priority cases you may be seen sooner than this.

Please note that our current waiting time is longer than usual, at approximately 12-13 weeks for adults and up to eight-weeks for children, we are working hard to return to our target of six-weeks.

Our wait time for further treatment or hearing aids (following your initial assessment) is a further 16 weeks for adults and children are seen within the normal target of four-weeks (following an initial assessment). Information will be provided to you by your audiologist to assist you whilst you wait.

Age-related hearing loss is common and treatable, and our service is here to help. However, you should not self-refer if you have:

  • suffered rapid or sudden hearing loss (within the last 90 days)
  • persistent or recurrent ear pain and/or ear infection (unless already managed by your GP or other healthcare professional)
  • hearing that is notably worse in one ear compared to the other (unless previously investigated by specialists) 
  • hearing that fluctuates, other than with colds
  • tinnitus issues - either in one ear, tinnitus that pulsates or which is notably distressing
  • an intolerance to loud sounds that is notably distressing.

In these cases, please contact your GP.

If you are unable to leave your home and cannot use hospital transport, you should also contact your GP, who can look into arranging audiology care in your home.

Self-referral

Before contacting our services, you should have your ears checked by a healthcare professional to make sure your hearing loss is not caused by something simple like ear wax or an ear infection. If your ears are blocked by wax, visit our ear wax information page for advice on how to deal with this.

If your ears are clear of wax and none of the above issues apply to you, can submit a self-referral form via our secure online portal.

If you need help with completing this form, ask a friend or family member. Alternatively, you can ask your GP practice to refer you to us in the usual way.

What happens after you refer yourself?

Once we receive your referral it will be vetted and, if the details are complete and appropriate, we will contact you to book your hearing assessment.

If your details are not complete, we will contact you to let you know further information is required.

Waiting time is around six weeks for your first appointment, although sometimes this can be longer. Visit our appointments page for further information about what happens next.

Please contact us if you require further information.

Contact details

Due to current high demands for telephone calls and email responses, the service may not be able to respond to your enquiry as quickly as normal. Apologies for this, and please bear with us. We hope to resume normal service as soon as possible.

If you live in, or attend a clinic in, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole, Wimborne, Wareham or Swanage please email us at dhc.audiologyenquiries@nhs.net or call us on 0300 303 8640 (choosing option 1). The phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am-12.15pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm. 

If you live in, or attend a clinic in, Dorchester, Blandford, Bridport, Weymouth or Sherborne please email us at dhc.audiologyenquirieswest@nhs.net or call us on 0300 303 8640 (choosing option 2). The phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.15am-12.15pm and 1.15pm-4pm.

Key information about this service

Many of our patients do not need regular follow-up appointments with our clinicians. Instead, some patients are offered 'patient initiated follow-up' (PIFU) appointments. This means you can arrange a follow-up appointment as and when you need it.

Your referral will be left open with the service for six months after your last appointment date, after this time you may need a new referral from your GP or health care professional to access the service.

The clinician responsible for your care will tell you what symptoms or complications after treatment to look out for, that would mean you should make an appointment. They will also provide you with the information you need on how to contact the service.

Blandford Hospital - Blandford

01258 456541

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes, available on-site or on-road parking immediately outside.

Disabled access: Yes

Bridport Hospital - Bridport

01308 422371

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes, available on-site (free of charge).

Disabled access: Yes

Canford Heath Health Clinic

Wi-Fi: No

Parking: Please look for local free parking nearby.

Disabled access: Yes

Dorset County Hospital - Dorchester

01305 251150

Wi-Fi: No

Parking: Yes, available on-site.

Disabled access: Yes

NHS Healthcare Centre - Dolphin Centre Poole

Wi-Fi: No

Parking: Yes, the multi-storey car park at either side of the Dolphin Centre.

Disabled access: Yes

Park Centre - Weymouth

Wi-Fi: No

Parking: Yes, pay and display on-site.

Disabled access: Yes

Pelhams Clinic - Bournemouth

01202 570821

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes, opposite the health centre or at the community centre.

Disabled access: Yes

Shelley Road - Boscombe

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes, free car park, on-road parking or a multi-storey car park a short walk away in the Sovereign Centre (Boscombe).

Disabled access: Yes

Swanage Hospital - Swanage

01929 422282

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes, but limited, on-road parking available.

Disabled access: Yes

The Adam Practice - Upton Health Centre Poole

01202 622339

Wi-Fi: No

Parking: Yes, but limited, on-road parking available.

Disabled access: Yes

The Children Centre - Dorchester

01305 254739

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes on-site at Dorset County Hospital (accessed via Williams Avenue entrance) or outside the Children’s Centre (accessed via Damers Road entrance).

For more information visit Dorset County Hospital's website.

Victoria Hospital - Wimborne

01202 856410

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes, but limited.

Disabled access: Yes

0300 303 8640

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes

Disabled access: Yes

Weymouth Hospital - Weymouth

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes

Disabled access: Yes

Yeatman Hospital - Sherborne

01935 813991

Wi-Fi: Yes

Parking: Yes - there are two car parks at Yeatman Hospital (the Upper Car Park, which is near the main hospital entrance, and the Lower Car Park, which is near the Minor Injuries Unit). Car parking is free for the first 15 minutes and then £1 an hour.

Disabled access: Yes

If you need to contact an audiology clinic, please do so via the main contact details above.