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| Hospitals' hearing loss help concerns patient watchdogs | Hospitals' hearing loss help concerns patient watchdogs |
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| Hospitals in Wales are not giving enough support to people with hearing loss, say patient watchdogs. | |
| Community health councils (CHC) visited 68 areas around 22 hospitals and found 33 of them had "unsatisfactory" help for those with hearing loss. | Community health councils (CHC) visited 68 areas around 22 hospitals and found 33 of them had "unsatisfactory" help for those with hearing loss. |
| Many hearing loops, which allow people with hearing aids to get announcements, were not installed, were broken or staff did not know how to use them. | Many hearing loops, which allow people with hearing aids to get announcements, were not installed, were broken or staff did not know how to use them. |
| The Welsh government said it was up to health boards to meet patients' needs. | The Welsh government said it was up to health boards to meet patients' needs. |
| Equality laws mean public bodies must address communication and access needs. | Equality laws mean public bodies must address communication and access needs. |
| The 33 places rated as unsatisfactory included key points such as accident and emergency departments, outpatient clinics, day theatres and main reception desks. | The 33 places rated as unsatisfactory included key points such as accident and emergency departments, outpatient clinics, day theatres and main reception desks. |
| Examples where problems were found included: | Examples where problems were found included: |
| Plans to remedy the issues have been formed by all local health boards in Wales, but BBC Wales has found at least one hospital where the facility is still not available. | Plans to remedy the issues have been formed by all local health boards in Wales, but BBC Wales has found at least one hospital where the facility is still not available. |
| Tests at one area in the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport on Monday showed it did not have a working hearing loop. | Tests at one area in the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport on Monday showed it did not have a working hearing loop. |
| Megan Rennoldson has had bad experiences in Monmouth, Newport and Abergavenny with support for her hearing loss. | Megan Rennoldson has had bad experiences in Monmouth, Newport and Abergavenny with support for her hearing loss. |
| Ms Rennoldson has given up on using them now and takes a friend instead to help her whenever she visits hospital. | Ms Rennoldson has given up on using them now and takes a friend instead to help her whenever she visits hospital. |
| She feels deaf people should not have to live in a "different world" when accessing services, and she often goes to the cinema and uses their hearing loops facilities without any issues. | She feels deaf people should not have to live in a "different world" when accessing services, and she often goes to the cinema and uses their hearing loops facilities without any issues. |
| Aneurin Bevan Health Board has been asked to comment along with the Welsh NHS Confederation. | Aneurin Bevan Health Board has been asked to comment along with the Welsh NHS Confederation. |
| Cathy O'Sullivan from Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council - who took part in the survey - said they had used special devices to test for hearing loops. | Cathy O'Sullivan from Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council - who took part in the survey - said they had used special devices to test for hearing loops. |
| She added that the Welsh government had cut its budget for carrying out the same audit again this year and deaf people should not be treated as second class citizens. | She added that the Welsh government had cut its budget for carrying out the same audit again this year and deaf people should not be treated as second class citizens. |
| Richard Williams, director of Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, said things were not improving and too many people were not getting the service they deserve from the NHS. | Richard Williams, director of Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, said things were not improving and too many people were not getting the service they deserve from the NHS. |
| He added that some deaf people were being put at risk because of a lack of clear information being provided to them. | He added that some deaf people were being put at risk because of a lack of clear information being provided to them. |
| There were similar criticisms of health boards 18 months ago - they responded by saying they were striving to improve access for the deaf and hard of hearing. | There were similar criticisms of health boards 18 months ago - they responded by saying they were striving to improve access for the deaf and hard of hearing. |
| The Welsh government said it was "deeply committed" to making sure patients can access the care they need, and "significant improvements" had been made to audiology services. | The Welsh government said it was "deeply committed" to making sure patients can access the care they need, and "significant improvements" had been made to audiology services. |
| A spokesperson added: "Health boards are responsible for providing services to meet the needs of their local population, including the provision of audiology services and the installation of hearing loops and we expect them to meet patient demand. | A spokesperson added: "Health boards are responsible for providing services to meet the needs of their local population, including the provision of audiology services and the installation of hearing loops and we expect them to meet patient demand. |
| "We will also be meeting representatives from the NHS, including the third sector, to help us develop plans to further improve audiology services." | "We will also be meeting representatives from the NHS, including the third sector, to help us develop plans to further improve audiology services." |