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"Rude audiologist"

About: The Princess Royal Hospital / Ear, Nose and Throat

(as the patient),

I saw an Audiologist at Telford Princess Royal Hospital last week to fit new digital hearing aids. Not seen this audiologist before, they:

1. Yelled my name out in waiting room (bonus points for lacking deaf awareness in my opinion)

2. Told me off for daring to want hearing aids that were not god awful brown colour (my new ones are purple and red).

3. Yelled 'can you hear me' when they were fitted.

4. Told me off for stock piling hearing aid batteries and gave me 2 packets - I know for a fact that each battery doesn't last a week in each aid so a packet lasts 3 weeks. I work, why should I have to go to the hospital every time I need new batteries. I have to take time off work to go.

5. Told me I should not have been given different coloured hearing aids, only kids get them and even then rarely.

6. Made me sit with testing equipment on when it was uncomfortable.

7. Decided the settings on my aids (surround sound, induction loop, directional eg noisy situations) without asking me and when I challenged them they said 'what order do you want them in then' really sharply.

8. Insisted on crossing out the pages not relevant to my digital aids. A) I am not stupid and B) it is insulting to be treated like you are stupid. I didn't want the audiologist to write the settings in, I asked for it in a separate piece of paper because I knew they would be changed the following week.

9. Told me they were setting the sounds lower so to save what hearing I had

10. Said my current aids were unsuitable for my hearing loss (which I feel is absolute rubbish, I'm getting new ones to work with my mobile phone)

In all I found this person patronising, I felt they were arrogant and completely rude.

They concluded the appointment by saying it was over 'because I have things to do'.

I'm returning next week to see my usual audiologist and will be making a complaint.

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Responses

Response from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 12 years ago
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Submitted on 15/08/2011 at 15:16
Published on Care Opinion on 16/08/2011 at 13:15


I am sorry that your recent appointment in the audiology clinic was not a pleasant one and I will make sure that your comment is seen and responded to by the department managers and staff concerned.

We aim to provide the best possible services for all of our patients, and we are very disappointed that your experience has not matched the standards that we expect for everyone in our hospitals.

Unfortunately the NHS Choices website is anonymous, and your contact details are not shared with the Trust. We would therefore encourage you to contact the Trust directly to discuss the issues you have raised so that we can understand them in more detail.

If you would like to contact us please call our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 0800 783 0057 or visit their office near the Main Ward Entrance. They aim to provide advice and support to patients, their families and carers; listen to your concerns, suggestions or queries; and help sort out problems quickly on your behalf. If you wish to make a formal complaint then the PALS service will be able to provide you with more information about how to do this.

You can also find out more on the Trust website at www.sath.nhs.uk/patient_information/complaints.asp.

Thank you for taking the time to raise these issues through NHS Choices. We look forward to hearing from you.

Response from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 12 years ago
We have made a change
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Submitted on 16/08/2011 at 16:56
Published on Care Opinion at 16:58


Further to my response to you regarding your audiology appointment, I have spoken to the audiology manager and he is sorry that you had a poor experience – he will talk to staff about deaf awareness.

He is happy to meet with you and discuss the issues you have. If you would like to do this please contact the hospital as follows:

Call our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 0800 783 0057 or visit their office near the Main Ward Entrance

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