Stephen Lewis finds out about a scheme to make life in hospital easier for the hard of hearing

GOING into hospital is bad enough at the best of times. So imagine what it's like if you are deaf or hard of hearing and can't hear what all those doctors, nurses and health professionals are saying.

"It is really dreadful going into hospital and not being able to hear them," says Betty Smith, the 75-year-old co-founder of the Resource Centre for Deafened People in York, who has been hearing impaired since childhood. "You don't know whether they're going to amputate your leg, or what!"

Now the centre, with the co-operation of York District Hospital, is doing something about it with a new scheme to make sure medical staff know a patient has hearing problems before they come into hospital. This way, staff should be able to take extra care when talking to such patients.

All it involves is a simple "barred ear" symbol added to a patient's hospital records, alerting medical staff to their condition.

"Hopefully, if staff are forewarned, they know to speak more clearly and slowly, to hold their heads up when talking, and to make sure there is as little background noise as possible," says Betty.

There are an estimated 47,000 people in the hospital's catchment area with some kind of hearing difficulty. For the scheme to work they need to give their consent to the barred ear symbol going on their records.

The Resource Centre for Deafened People has already sent out consent forms with its latest newsletter, so those people with hearing problems who want their hospital notes marked with the symbol can give permission.

Lynn Jeffries, the hospital's disability adviser, says it is important that as many people with hearing problems as possible sign up for the scheme.

Strange as it may seem, it isn't always immediately obvious to hospital staff that somebody has a hearing problem, she says.

That can lead to problems when, for example, hard-of-hearing patients in waiting areas are called by name. Hospital staff unaware of a patient's hearing difficulties may also mumble or talk too fast - leading to misunderstanding or frustration.

The scheme to mark hospital notes with the barred ear symbol aims to alert staff in advance so they can behave more appropriately. Lynne says. "It should make a big difference."

To find out more about the scheme contact the Resource Centre for Deafened People in York on 01904 626583.