Moving from children’s to adult audiology

Audiology patients are seen within the children’s service until they are 18, unless you have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and are in full-time education. In that case we’ll continue to see you in the children’s service until you’re 25. 

When you reach 18 you’ll have a ‘transition’ appointment. The main differences between the children’s and the adult services are: 

  • As an adult, you no longer have routine appointments arranged 

  • If you lose a hearing aid as an adult, there is a fee to replace the aid (unless certain exemptions apply—please enquire if details needed) [link to lost hearing aids page] 

  • If a hearing aid need to be repaired or replaced, we offer a walk-in repair service [is this at Shelley Road?], although we can book repair appointments at other sites 

  • You won’t have access to the hearing support service team anymore, although there are other services who can support you. 

What happens at the transition appointment? 

You will be offered a final routine appointment, called a ‘transition appointment’ at 18 years+. 

This appointment will last 1.5 hours (you can come on your own if you prefer to). 

  • We’ll re-assess your hearing and re-adjust/update your hearing aid(s) if that needs doing. 

  • We’ll give you batteries and kit such as the tubing you’ll need to maintain your hearing aid, as well as information on how to do it. 

  • And we’ll tell you who you can contact in Audiology in the future. 

After the appointment 

We’ll post you a copy of your latest audiology report, including your latest audiogram, which you may need in the future. 

Support if you’re starting in further education or work 

If you apply to college or university, make contact with the student support service (contact details are usually available on the college or university website) and the team will be able to guide you to the support available. 

You may also be eligible for Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA). Eligibility should usually be confirmed by a medical professional, such as your GP. 

When applying for jobs, your local Jobcentre Plus will be able to put you in touch with a disability employment advisor, who can offer support and advice. You may be eligible for funding for equipment/environmental aids through the Access to Work programme. 

The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID)/Action on Hearing Loss has information on going to university and careers help for hearing impaired people. Their textphone is 0808 808 0123/ 0808 808 9000 (textphone). 

Connexions Direct may be able to provide advice to young adults with hearing impairment, such as entitlements. 

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) can also give you information and support, covering welfare rights and benefit claims, education choices, health and technology or simply by being someone to talk to. 

Products and devices you may find helpful 

At your transition appointment, we’ll give you information on products which may be helpful alongside your hearing aid, such as loop devices for listening to the TV. 

As an adult, BCP Council's Sight and Hearing Services Team can give you advice on assistive listening devices if you live in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole.

Direct audio input (DAI) may be useful. It’s available on most modern hearing aids and allows sound information to be fed directly to the hearing aid from an external device, such as an MP3 player. 

You may have already used this with an FM/radio aid at school, but it can also be used with any device which uses headphones. At present, you will need a small ‘shoe’ connected to the bottom of your hearing aid, with a lead which connects to the external device (not available on the NHS – you'd need to be buy this yourself or through your college/ university/ work). 

The lead fits to any shoe via a universal fitting. Some hearing aids can attach to external devices wirelessly using a ‘streamer’ device via Bluetooth. You can find out more about all this from a company called Connevans or through your hearing aid’s manufacturer. 

Connecting your phone to your hearing aid

Hearing aid maintenance

Putting your hearing aid in properly

Getting new hearing aid batteries

Cleaning your hearing aid

Troubleshooting - solving problems with your hearing aid

What if I feel I need a reassessment? 

Please make an appointment to come to the hearing aid repair clinic so we can check your hearing aids and arrange the most appropriate appointment for you. However, if you notice a rapid or sudden drop in hearing, you need to seek urgent advice. 

During office hours (8.30am to 4pm Monday-Friday), please call us on 0300 303 8640 or email us at dhc.audiologyenquiries@nhs.net. 

Out of hours, please seek urgent help through A&E’s on-call Ear, Nost and Throat service.

Children's Audiology